Opposites Attract Or So They Say
by Formally known as Freya
Summary: Sakura, a strongwilled medic nin that won't take crap from anyone. Neji, a genius with a selfish attitude. Most would say total opposites...but you know what they say about opposites...RATED M FOR LATER CHAPTERS
1. Chapter 1

**FREYA: I had a certain fan who left a review email me. You know who you are. This certain fan asked about me writing another Naruto fan fic but to do the pairing with Sakura and Neji. Now, at first I didn't think I liked the idea because both characters have widely varying ideals and it's hard for me to see them together. I managed to come up with a basic outline and from there I developed a story so I think many will like it. Many probably won't. I don't really give a damn but read. Freya has spoken. **

**PS I don't own any Naruto characters, if I did I'd be in the series and I'd own Gaara. My KazeKage…Growl…**

Chapter 1: A Rocky Start

Sakura breathed a heavy sigh as she shifted her weight to carry the stack of papers better. _Thank Kami that Naruto's found someone else to dog everyday._ While the attention he was always giving her wasn't unflattering, it was getting bothersome. Hopefully Hinata could put up with it better than she.

"Where did Tsunade-sama say to take these? Room 4 on the first floor or room 1 on the forth floor?" As she was about to turn the corner someone orange ran into her. _Speak of the devil._ Papers were everywhere and now Sakura had a new reason to be angry.

"Naruto!" She shouted.

"Sorry Sakura-chan," He stood up quickly, "but I'm in a hurry!" And with that he left her there with the mess of papers every where and no one to help her pick them up. He called out another apology and disappeared from her sight. She let out an exasperated sigh. _Dammit. Of course he'd leave without helping me out_. Sakura began picking them up.

"Good thing they're numbered. I can put them back in order. Stupid Naruto! He never looks where he's-"

"You always talk to yourself?" It was a very flat, monotone voice but not unrecognizable. It was Neji. Sakura rolled her eyes in annoyance. _It's just him. Doesn't he have anything better to do than make fun of people?_

"Maybe I do, not that it would be any of your business, Neji-_san_. What do you need?" She began rifling through some of the papers to put them back into their original state. It was obvious she was having trouble finding what she was looking for but Neji offered no assistance.

"Not that it's any of your business," he mocked with a straight face. He was silent for a few moments while she looked for the appropriate pages. After the long quiet he finally spoke again. "I am looking for the Hokage."

Sakura found the next few pages. _Yatta!_ _Only about 100 or so to go_ she thought mournfully. _This is going to take all day_. "Tsunade-sama is," Sakura had to think of how to phrase her sentence, "indisposed. She's not going to be able to talk with you for a few hours; even then she's going to have a major headache. I could help, what do you need?"

Neji glared down at her on the ground shifting through her papers. _**Haruno is in no position to be helping anyone, especially me. She's just as clumsy as Uzumaki, dropping her papers all over the place.**_ He sneered at the idea of accepting help from someone as inept as her.

"It does not concern you, Haruno." With that he turned and walked away. Sakura stared as he strutted in the direction he came from. _He's not going to help me pick these up? What a jerk! No wonder nobody likes him!_ Sakura's face turned red with anger as she continued to pick up papers.

"Ow!" She'd gotten a paper cut. Sakura grumbled in annoyance as she used her medical ninja training to heal the wound. _No big deal just a paper cut._ A green chakra light flooded from her other hand to the small cut and it quickly closed up. When she was finished there was still a mark but it was no longer hurting. "Jeez. It would've been so much faster if he'd just used his Byakugan to find the numbers in their correct order but no. Hyuuga Neji never helps anyone but himself!"

She hadn't realized but there was someone behind her. Sakura wasn't really scared because the presence felt familiar and friendly. She craned her head to look behind her and smiled. "Hey, Lee-kun. Do you need something?"

He shook his head but got down on the floor to help her pick up the scattered papers. She thanked him as they put together the report. _Lee-kun is so nice, not like Neji-san at all._

"Neji-san isn't as bad as you think." Lee found three pages and handed them to her.

"Yeah, I'll bet he's just full of sunshine and butterflies. Why's he such a jerk all the time?" She took the papers and put them in with the stack she'd already started_. He's always so cold to everyone. _

"Neji-san is just more complicated then most ninjas. He really isn't a bad person, just busy." He found another and added it to the pile.

"Sure, complicated. That's for sure. He doesn't even seem human sometimes," she exclaimed. The paper stack was almost done. Thank Kami that Lee-kun decided to help her or else she would've been stuck there all day. "He's such a punk, he didn't even offer to help me pick up these papers."

"Did you ask him to?" He reached over to hand her the papers.

Sakura thought about it before finally taking them. "Well, no, but…it would've been the polite thing to do. It's what anybody else would've done." _Except Naruto…what a brat!_ She added the last papers to the stack and straightened it up. _Finally! I can take these to, uh, what room was it again? Damn…_

"I bet if you gave him a chance you'd see that you're a lot alike."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Tch. If you say so. But just so you know, I'll never walk around with a scowl like he does all day. Does he ever smile?" she joked.

"Sure he does. Just not…often…" Lee admitted with half a grin.

Sakura picked up the stack and thanked Lee for helping her out. He blushed in embarrassment but told her it wasn't a problem. Sakura got onto her tip toes and gave him a peck on the cheek and thanked him again as she sprinted for the stairs. Lee brought a hand to his cheek and smiled. He then went in the opposite direction in a daze to go speak with whomever it was he came to see.

After Neji left Sakura to pick up her own mess he ran into a few people worth talking to. He spoke with Shizune regarding what he was going to talk to Tsunade about. It was on the subject of getting harder missions so that one day he could join ANBU. Only the best ninja in the village could join and the only way to become the best was to complete harder missions without any difficulty. And the Hyuuga clan was the best. Neji would become ANBU one day and bring honor to the Hyuuga name. Unfortunately it wasn't Shizune's place to talk about those sorts of things.

"Sorry Neji-san, but you'll have to talk with Tsunade-sama about that. I don't influence who gets into ANBU or not. We did get a few new missions in but not any that would warrant a jounin or even a chunin. Again, sorry Neji-san, but I have a few errands to run." And she was gone with her pig following close behind.

_**Damn. What am I going to do for a few hours while waiting for the Hokage to sober up?**_ He looked at the red top of the Hokage tower and decided that it wasn't a bad place to meditate.

"There, I'm sorry the report is late. I ran into some baka and he made me drop all the papers," she smiled. _Then another baka didn't offer to help me pick them up! Jerk!_ They told her it was fine and that they shouldn't need Sakura to run any more errands. She could go home for the day. "Thanks but I'm going to go to the roof for some sun. I'll come back in a bit; you may still have something for me to do later."

Sakura took the stairs slowly. She let out a heavy sigh. _Tomorrow I'll do some work at the hospital. I'm sure there are some patients that need an expert medic nin like me._ Sakura grinned confidently and quickened her pace but it gradually turned into a frown so she slowed to match her mood. _I know I've gotten stronger but_…she stopped and clenched her hands tight. _I need to be much stronger; I can't be letting anyone down again. I wish there was a way…_Sakura pushed the door to the roof open.

"Good to know it's still vacant up here," no sooner were the words out of her mouth did she spot Neji. He had his back to her but from the way he was sitting she guessed he could be meditating. Sakura let out an exasperated sigh; she seemed to be doing that a lot lately. _Figures, the one time I want to be alone there'd be someone up here and the aggravating Hyuuga prince at that. Why me? _

It was strange though. She'd been standing there for a few minutes already and he didn't say anything to her. _Usually something sarcastic would pass his lips before you could ready yourself for the verbal onslaught._ Sakura walked forward closer and closer. _He can't be that deep in thought, can he?_ By now she was right next to him and brought herself to kneel. Sakura looked at his face, it was serene. For the first time she could see his very porcelain features. _He's actually really handsome._ _He couldn't possibly be sleeping?_

"Neji-san are you…?" Sakura was about to shake his shoulder when he spoke up. She was so surprised she fell backwards onto her rump.

"…trying to tune you out? Yes, I am." He turned his head to face her and opened his cold silvery eyes. "Did you want something? Or are you just here to interrupt my meditation?"

Sakura could feel her embarrassment change to fury. _What…a…jerk! I was thinking that he didn't look so haughty when he's sleeping but…he just makes me so mad!_ "I was just curious, is that so bad? And who the hell meditates on the Hokage Tower?!" _He's such an arrogant, spoiled, ugh, I hate that smug punk! Forget thinking he was handsome at all._

"Your shrieking is quite annoying. It isn't any wonder women are good at nothing except yelling…"

The pink-haired girl kept her mouth shut this time. _Jerk! Jerk! Idiot!_ She had worse obscenities lined up but held them in and counted to ten. _1-2-3-4_…

"Women actually do a great deal of whining when it comes to doing work too. I am willing to wager you are just like my cousin…"

_5-6-7-8…_

"All she ever does is complain about how weak she is but she by no means takes the time or effort to actually work to get stronger. Even when I offer my valuable time to train her she spends all her time with Uzumaki. You are all pathetic…"

SMACK! Neji couldn't tell she was getting angrier by the comments so he wasn't prepared for the stinging slap he got across the face. Normally he would've been able to stop it or dodge it but he was caught off guard. _**She hit me?**_ He never thought that Sakura, that any girl, would have the courage to do anything that bold.

"Sorry for being a woman!" The glare Sakura gave him could burn villages. "But I'm not pathetic!" She brought her hand back to slap him again but stopped herself. She clenched her hand tight. _What gives him the right to sit there and insult…UGH! Hate him! He and I are nothing alike!_

She stood up and walked back towards the door to go back downstairs. _**She's different from most girls. Most girls run off in fear if I just glare at them. I can't believe she landed a hit on my face. **_

"You know what, Neji-san? It's too bad you're so good-looking; and you're selfish too. I'll bet a lot of girls swoon when they see you. But you know what I see when I look at you?" Sakura pulled open the door and was about to go inside. "You're just royal trash. Glorified garbage." And she was gone, letting the door slam close behind her.

Neji continued to sit there, his face stinging and his pride more than bruised. _**I cannot believe she insulted my lineage. Haruno thinks I'm rude but listen to the things that come out of her own mouth.**_ Neji sat longer and touched his face where she left her mark, literally. If he didn't put ice on it soon it would get swollen and be visible for the next few days.

Both seemed to be thinking at the same time:

_**How could anyone like that person?**_

**FREYA: Well, they can't all start out nice and cute can they? I remember a couple who were a lot like this. When they first met all they could do was argue and hate each other, it's really amusing but they get along really well now. Funny how things work.**

**Anyway, the story will progress as I want it to. This is just a side project that I started for whenever I have writers block for other stories. It will get updated whenever I feel like it. You can leave a review or whatever. Don't care. Toodles. FREYA HAS SPOKEN!**


	2. Chapter 2

**FREYA: Heyo Freya here. So Neji and Sakura are off to a shaky start. This chapter is mostly told from Neji's perspective but there are a few places where you'll read Sakura's thoughts. Neji is starting to learn more about his pink-headed comrade. **

**I do not own any of the characters of Naruto if I did I'd so give Sai a cooler power than painting things to life. Oh and that 'half a shirt' he wears…I'd burn that. I'd rather he wear a whole shirt or none at all. (Preferably, none at all) All in favor, leave an agreeing note in your review! FREYA HAS SPOKEN!**

Chapter 2: Someone else's shoes

Sakura woke up early the next day. Did her daily routine; brushed her hair, put on clean clothes. She was out the door 15 minutes upon waking up. _Hospital. There's a good chance that there'll be plenty of work all day_. She sighed and then bucked up. _Let's get going!_

While their altercation on the roof wasn't bothering Sakura much anymore it was still irking Neji. The whole day he was in a foul mood. To any person who saw him on the street he looked like he always did. Calm, collected, everything a Hyuuga should be, except for his swollen cheek. His thoughts on the inside were anything but.

_**That…that woman! It's like every time I run into her she ends up yelling! I did not start any of the confrontations! Haruno blows everything out of proportions. Very much like a girl to do!**_

Ten-ten and Lee were walking in the opposite direction but both spotted Neji. They crossed the street to catch up with him.

"Neji-kun, are you alright?" Ten-ten asked quizzically. There wasn't any way to hide from his teammates that he was annoyed. That didn't stop him from lying to them to get them out of his business.

"Nothing is wrong." Neji coldly dismissed her concern. Ten-ten seemed used to it and not offended. She shrugged her shoulders. Lee continued to stand there; he seemed to be thinking about something.

"You're sure? What happened to your cheek?" Ten-ten asked again, perfectly aware that she wasn't going to get an answer. Neji was too…too…independent to rely on anyone for advice. Before he could give her another dismissing remark Lee told her to go ahead to the store. He'd catch up.

Lee turned back to Neji. "I know what's bothering you," he said in a sing-songy tone.

"You do not."

"I think…" Lee started. _**Oh**_ _**how many sentences have ever started with 'I think'?**_ "I think a certain pink-haired angel told you off and now you're sulking. She hit you didn't she?" Lee grinned.

Neji gritted his teeth. "I am not 'sulking' and she did not 'tell me off'." Lee rolled his eyes and then laughed. Neji didn't deny the hit he got but continued to talk about her, "And she's anything but an angel. She is more like a banshee."

Neji couldn't figure out why Lee was still laughing. _**Why was it funny? What's so funny about a woman yelling at a gentleman? Hitting one at that. It's disgraceful, losing your temper in public**_.

"You know why you're mad at her? It's because she's challenging your authority. Sakura-san doesn't back down from conflict." Lee spoke very confidently; like he knew what he was talking about. He laughed again, "I'll bet she called you a jerk too."

"She called me 'royal trash'." Neji was losing his patience with this conversation. _**I don't want to think about that wretched girl.**_ _**Why was she even yelling at me in the first place?**_ "Haruno said I was selfish. Like she's not selfish as well!"

"Neji-san, when was the last time you helped someone other than yourself? You know, with nothing to gain by helping them?" Lee asked with his arms crossed. Neji looked offended. _**Of course I have helped people before**_.

"I did missions that helped people…" Neji answered.

"But that benefited you in some way. You got credit for it and raised your standing in the village. You probably got paid a few times too. Sakura was trying to point out that you only help people when it's convenient for you." Lee lectured. The more Lee said the more Neji lost his footing in the conversation. Neji was losing and there is nothing he hates more. He resisted the urge to strike Lee.

"What do you know about Sakura-san, Neji-san?" Lee asked.

Neji didn't have to think about it. "The woman has a temper. She never took being a ninja seriously until after…Uchiha Sasuke left. And…" Neji couldn't think of anything more to add to the subject. _**I really don't know much about her. Just that she's loud, obnoxious, and rude.**_ "Well, what do _you _know of her?"

"I want to show you something Neji-san. Follow me." Lee started jumping over buildings. Neji followed closely behind.

_**Ridiculous. Why am I following him? It wasn't any of his business to begin with**_. They passed a few familiar buildings. _**Where in the world is he taking me?**_ They finally stopped at the hospital. Neji remembered being stuck there for a long time because of his fight with one of the ninja's from the sound village. Orochimaru's village.

Neji shook his head of the memory. _**The hospital? Why are we here?**_

"Sakura-san works here as a volunteer," informed Lee as if he read Neji's mind.

"What's your point?" Neji inquired with distaste. Hospitals were for people who were injured, sick or weak, of which he was none. Lee said nothing but used the Transformation Jutsu to change his appearance to look like a doctor that was leaving the hospital. He motioned for Neji to do the same. _**Kami, why am I participating in this idiot's game? Then again…it could prove interesting to find out what she's really like and taunt her with it later..**_ Neji copied him but used the identity of a young villager leaving with what he assumed was his girlfriend.

"This is absurd." Neji protested the disguise he'd chosen. It downgraded his looks. A lot.

"Quiet. Your vocabulary will give us away," Lee joked. He led Neji around the hospital until finally they came across a room in a specific area in the hospital. _**Intensive care.**_ Neji remembered being there for a while. Not a fun place to be. "Stay here, look in the window or use your eyes to look through." Lee went into the room.

_**What is he doing?**_ Using his Byakugan he looked through and saw Sakura sitting next to the bed with a heavily bandaged child in it. Lee looked like he was checking the patient's records, acting like he was a real doctor. _**Idiot**_. He must have made a joke because both the little girl and Sakura laughed. Neji was taken aback at how genuine her smile was. When he realized he was staring he abruptly looked away. _**Nothing about her could make anyone want to stare unless she did something foolish. **_

Lee put the clipboard back where he found it and waved at the two in the room. They waved back and Lee came out. Neji was still sporting the 'I-hate-everyone' glare. Lee shook his head, disappointed that Neji didn't discover anything interesting from looking through the door.

"What happened to the little girl in there?" Neji wasn't curious he just wanted to make sure the conversation didn't start up about the Haruno girl again. He was still a little irritated that he'd been staring at her. _**Thank Kami I wasn't caught. That would've been humiliating and difficult to explain.**_ Not that he'd know how to explain.

"She was pinned under a beam in a fire. Sakura-san has been taking care of her for the past few days. That little girl isn't the only one. She's helped a lot of people here. She does it because she loves helping people. I think you can understand why she dislikes your selfishness."

Neji glared. "I don't care why she hates me. Or why she thinks I'm selfish. I think she's a two-faced…" Neji didn't get to finish because someone was coming through the door. Sakura. Bonk!

"Oh, Sorry! I didn't know someone was behind the door!" Sakura exclaimed. The doorframe hit Neji in the temple. He grumbled an obscenity as he rubbed the bump.

"Figures you would hit me again," he mumbled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Sakura was unsure of what she heard.

_**That's right, we're in disguise. She doesn't recognize me**_. "Oh, it's fine." Neji was trying to talk like any other commoner but could only refer to the way Lee talked or Naruto. He chose the less idiotic of the two. Something warm trickled down his cheek.

"Oh my gosh! You're bleeding! Here, come with me!" Before he could say anything Sakura grabbed his hand and led him quickly down the hall.

"Really, this is not necessary!" Neji protested. She led him into a room and made him sit down. She pulled out a cotton ball and doused it with a liquid. Sakura then placed it on the cut the frame of the door made. It stung ferociously. "I said that this wasn't necessary, girl. If you'd just let me well enough alone I'd be-"

"I'm so sorry about that. Sometimes I forget about my strength and I open the door too fast. I knocked out a nurse a few weeks ago. I really am sorry! You won't tell…Tsunade-sama…will you?" Sakura was dabbing at the cut with a different liquid now. It felt a little cooler and didn't sting.

"You know, you're really reckless! What if there had been a child behind the door? Women never seem to think ahead for-"

"'Women'? You know, you talk a lot like someone else I know…" Sakura tried her best to ignore his previous statement. _He's a lot like a certain Hyuuga_. "Hold still, please." She placed her hand at the cut and let her chakra flow to close the wound. Sakura could feel the chakra pulsing out while Neji could feel its warmth coming in. If he wasn't in this particular situation he would think it felt very relaxing. _**Like meditation. No, better than meditation.**_

"There, all done. You feel alright?" Sakura smiled at him. For a second Neji didn't have a smart remark to dish out. "It'll leave a mark for a bit but it shouldn't scar. In fact it _should_ be gone when you wake up tomorrow. Don't hold me to that though. Hey…" Sakura got really close to his face. She seemed to be studying him_**. If she really wanted to she could probably see through my Transformation Jutsu. In the immortal words of Naruto, 'that would really suck'.**_ Sakura grabbed his chin and turned his face to her left.

"Excuse you but-"

"Your cheek is swollen. Did I hit the entire side of your face? I thought the door only caught your temple." Sakura looked perplexed. It didn't cross her mind that she did, in fact, hit him just not with the door. _**Oh, the irony. **_

"No, you didn't hit my cheek with the door," Neji answered honestly and matter-of-factly. _**You smacked it with your hand yesterday! I was an imbecile and didn't put any ice on it. My Jutsu must have weakened, how else could she discern that my cheek was swollen? **_

"Wow, that's pretty bad," she let go of his face and went rummaging through some supplies. _**Well, you gave it to me!**_ She pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and then began writing quickly. "Can I guess what happened?"

He decided to humor her. Trying his best not to sound like himself he answered, "Sure, but you'll never guess right."

"Oh I won't?" She seemed to like the challenge. Sakura stared him down with her jade eyes. He tried his hardest not to look away; her glare seemed more dangerous than his sometimes. _**I don't want to look away and feel inferior but I feel strange meeting her stare.**_ Like a cobra holding a bird's gaze.

"Well?" he taunted impatiently; eager to get her eyes off his own.

"I've figured it out!" She exclaimed as she spun around to finish writing down something. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. After she was done she turned and made her guess. "I'll bet you got into a fight with your girlfriend and she hit you. You seem like the type."

He didn't object. It wasn't her guess he was interested in. "I seem like what _type_?"

"You know…" Sakura seemed to dance around her explanation while she brought the paper she was writing on to cover the lower portion of her face. "You're the kinda guy who'd rather get beat than to admit to being wrong. That's all I meant."

_**Unbelievable! I'm masquerading as some man and Haruno continues to insult me. Is this how she treats a random person in the hospital as well? **_

"You should probably go back to your duties, like the little girl with the burns," he spoke in his attempt to get rid of her. He saw her face sink. _**What? I didn't say anything rude. What's her problem?**_ She placed a bandage over his small cut just in case. He flinched and cursed himself for doing so.

"That girl…" Sakura stated, "She'll never be able to walk again. Her legs were crushed under a pillar when her house caught fire. They are…beyond repair. I wish I could do more to help. I can heal her burns, no problem, but it's hard knowing you can't do more. My abilities are too…limited right now." Sakura sighed and threw away the cotton balls that she'd used on his cut.

Neji had never felt bad for saying something and felt like maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. "Can't the Hokage fix them? She's a very accomplished medical ninja, correct? It wouldn't be difficult for her to-"

"'Beyond repair' means that they can't be fixed, by anyone. If the Hokage or I had been here the night she got here, then maybe I could have done something." Sakura washed her hands of the medicine and dried them. Neji was a little surprised with her cheerless demeanor. _**Wasn't she smiling back in the room not to long ago?**_

"Anyway, before I send you off I need to check if I gave you a concussion." Sakura came back with a small flashlight and sat in the chair across from him. Without much warning she shone the light in his eyes to check for responsiveness. _Normal._ The other eye. _Normal._ "Are your ears ringing at all?"

"No." _**Could she have really given me concussion?**_ Sakura held up fingers and he counted them correctly. _**I feel fine.**_ She asked him to stand and walk a few feet towards her. _**This is pointless, It's obvious that I'm**_…He swayed halfway and lost his balance. Sakura lurched forward and caught him before he could hit the ground. She helped him stand up straight. "I'm fine; I don't need your help to stand."

"Sure you don't. But I'm going to help you whether you want it or not." She got him back to the chair and made sure he sat down. She told him that he'd have to sit there a bit longer before she'd feel it was safe for him to walk home. _**Great.**_

"Since you're gonna have to stay here for a while longer why don't you tell me about yourself? How about you tell me what you fought with your girlfriend about?" Sakura's eyes were wide. Oh how she loved gossip. The injured stranger wasn't going to indulge her.

"It does not concern you," Neji spoke harshly; he didn't bother contradicting her accusation of a girlfriend. It would just make the situation more complex than it needed to be. He then realized he was beginning to sound like himself again. He needed to act like a commoner. "It's too hard to explain. You know?"

"Not really. I don't have anyone who's that close to me. It must be nice though," Sakura mused. She looked out of the window with her elbows on the ledge and her face in her hands. She took a deep sigh.

"What must be nice?"

"Having someone care about you. I know he's probably never coming back so I've already given up on him, but maybe I'll find someone that'll like me as much as I used to like him." The fall breeze blew in and pushed her pink hair out of her face. Neji found that he was staring at her for the second time that day. He could see that she was smiling but her eyes told him something else. _**What do her eyes say?**_

"You look like you've already given up on finding someone else," Neji couldn't help but try to explore why she had that look. "Why?"

Sakura turned and sat on the windowsill facing him now. She let out an awkward smile. "You're pretty curious about me. I don't know. There are plenty of guys out there. Many are good looking, which is nice but…" she paused and seemed to be studying him again. _This is a good chance to let out some steam without it involving yelling my head off at someone. I'm pretty sure I'll never see this guy again. I mean, who's he gonna tell?_ "I'll tell you but only because I don't know you and the likelihood of us meeting again is…well, unlikely. Yesterday is a good example of why I've given up on finding anyone. Do you wanna hear about it? It'll help burn some time"

Neji nodded. _**She's not going to let me leave until times up anyway. Plus, it may be to my advantage to hear about what she thinks about…well, me.**_ Neji found that it was going to be interesting listening to her warped and biased version of the story.

"I was running some errands for Tsunade-sama and Naruto, you know who Naruto is right? Well, he knocked me down and I lost hold of all the paperwork. Of course, he didn't stick around to help fix what he'd caused…" _**So she's not the one who dropped the papers. Figures it would be Naruto.**_ He listened for the rest of her story.

"Then came Hyuuga Neji. Well, I was hoping he'd help my out with his nifty little eye technique but of course…he didn't. I thought someone coming from such a royal family would have more manners than to just leave someone without even offering help. Then again…I didn't really ask so, we were both kinda at fault."

_**Huh, both at fault...**_ She kept going with her story. "Lee-kun helped me pick up the papers. And you know what? He said that Neji-san wasn't so awful, just complex. He even admitted to seeing Neji smile before. I wonder what he'd look like? Probably a good deal better than he usually does. I wouldn't mind seeing it. Anyway, that's beside the point. My point is, the only nice guy I met at all yesterday was the one that's already dating someone."

"Who's he dating?" Neji was not aware of this fact. _**Lee was dating someone?**_ Somehow Neji had gotten sucked into her gossip.

"The girl on his team. Which is really funny because she used to like Neji-san but he wasn't too friendly. You can't tell anyone though, their relationship is a secret." _**And you're telling a total stranger. You are, without a doubt, not the sharpest kunai in the bag.**_ "It's too bad really. I think Neji-san would be an ok guy if he'd just lighten up. He's intelligent. I know for a fact that he's strong. I even thought he looked pretty handsome…but that changed as soon as he opened his mouth. His attitude stinks. I doubt he's capable of changing that."

Neji was becoming uneasy. _**So Lee is dating Ten-Ten? Wait that's not the issue here!**_ "So what are you trying to say? About Neji-san?" It was awkward referring to himself.

"He could probably have any girl in the village but…I doubt one would stay with him. They'd have to be able to put up with his high and mighty attitude. His inferiority complex. Him looking better than her every day of her life. It'd be kinda hard. The only kind of girl who could do that would have to be really really tough. Oh, and not care that he was prettier than she was. Even then, they'd probably argue all the time."

Neji was getting all sorts of information on how to make himself more sociable but wasn't likely to take it. It had less to do with the fact that all of it was true and more to do with the fact that Haruno was the one to tell him. She seemed to know him better than himself. It made him wonder if everyone thought like that.

"Anyway! It's been about 20 minutes," she said checking her watch. "You can head out now. Be careful on the way home; if you feel dizzy at any time sit down somewhere and rest." Sakura had gone back into nurse mode. It was amazing how different she seemed from a few minutes ago.

"Hmph," was all he could manage before he stood to leave the room_**. I must get out of this place. I don't know how much longer I can keep from being found out. I can't hold this form forever.**_ Before he could even open the door Sakura had his shoulder.

"Wait, go to the address on the back," she paused and extended the paper she had been writing on to him, "There is a girl there who is very accomplished with medications to get rid of swelling. She might have something for you if you're still dizzy too. Her name's on the paper. She makes a lot of medicine for this hospital. Tell her Sakura sent you; she should just give it to you." He took the paper and shoved it into his pocket.

Neji stepped out of the room and headed down the hall. He was about to let out a sigh of relief when she called out to him, making him hold his breath. "Don't be too proud! I'll bet she'll forgive you if you apologize!"

He left quickly and met Lee outside. After transforming back he frowned at Lee.

"Was there any point to this…excursion…of yours?" Neji asked.

"You learned something right?"

Neji kept quiet. If he learned anything it was that Sakura had a very powerful presence. He couldn't even move when she stared him down. He couldn't think of an intelligent remark to combat her with either. He also got some interesting information on what she thought about him. _**Apologize? Absurd.**_ Neji reminded Lee that he was supposed to meet Ten-ten.

"AH! I can't believe I forgot. Later, Neji-san!" And Lee ran off with that super speed he was known for. In seconds he was beyond normal sight. _**I wonder if it was a date…? Not important.**_

Neji looked up at the hospital windows for a second and could've sworn he saw a pink head. When he looked again she was gone. _**Hmm. She isn't as annoying now but she's still frustrating to deal with. What was all that about me not being capable of changing? I could act different if I wanted to. **_Neji dismissed it and began walking home. Neji brought the paper out that she scribbled for him. It was a prescription for a salve. _**Her handwriting is terrible.**_ He flipped it over to look at the address and he nearly fell in the street.

"She must be kidding," he tried to scowl.

The paper said to speak to Hinata at the Hyuuga estate. _**Sweet irony.**_

**FREYA: An interesting chapter no? These two characters aren't very compatible so the story is slow but the rewards at the end will be great. Not that it matters…It's my story and you can't change it. So…bleah! I'll update whenever I feel like it I guess. A week maybe two.**

**Reviews are great but not necessary. If you must flame please make sure you know how to spell or else I'll just think you're just another imbecile who doesn't know how to use proper English much less a computer. Thank you. FREYA HAS SPOKEN!**

**Join the 'Sai should be shirtless" brigade! All hail shirtless-ness!**


	3. Chapter 3

**FREYA: Heyo, Freya speaking. This chapter is really lengthy. SO expect one hell of a sit. Just a reminder, I don't own Naruto or it's characters if I did…I'd ask how Kakashi gets his hair to stick up so well…FREYA HAS SPOKEN!**

**Apologies…It took a lot longer than I expected to write this. The NaruxHina story is on Hiatus until I can get the inspiration back. This one might be on a sort of waiting list as well as I'm getting some writers block. You can either Alert it so you'll know when the next one gets in or you can go to my forums and give me more ideas to work with. Other than that, enjoy. Freya has spoken.**

Chapter 3: Caught

"Ugh, what time is it?" Sakura looked at her alarm clock. 7:23 AM. _Too early. Must sleep more…_Sakura tried to lay her head down to fall back into her dreams. Unfortunately it didn't work. She stared at the ceiling of her room. _What's on the agenda today? I can't remember_. Finally giving up on falling asleep again she stands and finds her notebook.

"August…la la la….ah here. 'Pick up herbs from…'" Sakura rolled her eyes. _From Ino's flower shop. What else? Take them to Hinata with the list to make some medicine._ Sakura pulled out the list stuck in between the pages. _OK sure. That's not a problem_. "As long as I don't run into that snob…"

Neji let out a sneeze. _**It's not winter yet…am I catching a cold? Not possible.**_ Hyuuga Neji does not catch colds. He disregards the sneeze and starts for the front door. _**I didn't get a chance to talk to The Fifth yesterday. I ended up returning home from the hospital for the rest of the day. I didn't get to talk to her the day before that either. She was too busy. I should be able to today though.**_ Before he could even put a hand on the door Neji hears his cousin stammer.

"Neji-ni-san? Could you…um…" Hinata mumbled. Neji waited a few seconds more. If she didn't continue her sentence he was going to leave. He didn't have the patience to wait. "I need some…ingredients from the market…could you…?"

"Which ones?" He asked annoyed.

Hinata jumped when he spoke. "There on…this list…if it's ok…?" He turned around and took the list. He scanned it but didn't really read it.

"You can't get them yourself?" Neji seemed more and more irritated with each moment. He could have left by now. Been half way to the Hokage's office. But here he was stuck doing…servants work!

"I'm supposed t-to be making medicine today…for the hospital. You're already leaving so I thought…" Hinata was unsure her cousin would do it.

_**My cousin wants me to…to go grocery shopping! That's a woman's job!**_ Neji remembered something about the hospital. The burned girl. Maybe some of the medicine Hinata was making would be helping her. _**Fine, it isn't like its difficult picking out healthy vegetables. **_

"Fine, I'll return when I am finished." Hinata looked surprised but she smiled and told him thank you. He grunted a response and left through the front door. Neji put the list into his pocket and walked in the direction of the market.

Sakura looked over her list again. _I'm sure I didn't forget anything_. Everything was crossed off except for one. _Ginger? Oh yeah…I remember what ginger is for. _

"Ino told me that she didn't have certain spices; that I'd have to look for a ginger root in the market." She put the list back in her pocket and fixed the bag on her shoulder carrying all the herbs and flowers. _Right, to the market then!_

_I got all the herbs she'll need. The hospital really appreciates everything Hinata does for everyone. What a lifesaver. I think she even gave up her date with Naruto to do this today. I'll bet Naruto is pouting somewhere. _

Upon arriving at the marketplace Sakura saw a vaguely familiar figure. She frowned when she realized who it was. _Oh, the 'garbage prince'. What's he doing at a place like this? Mingling with the common folk?_ Sakura put the ginger on hold to get closer and see what the Hyuuga was doing.

"No way, he's…" Sakura had to put a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. _He's shopping for fruits and vegetables! The great Neji is doing his own shopping? Does he even know how to pick out good produce?_ Sakura bet he didn't. She got closer and tapped him on the shoulder. After he turned to see her smirking face his body seemed to tense up.

"Haruno…What is it that you want?" he asked in an icy tone. _**I've been caught, by Haruno no less.**_

"Grocery shopping? Have you ever gone shopping before, Neji-san?" Sakura was trying her best to embarrass him. He turned back around and began going through some of the things on the list. _**If I just ignore her maybe she'll leave.**_ He picked up a tomato and was about to put it in the bag the vendor gave him. _Is he crazy?_ Sakura grabbed his hand before he could drop the tomato in.

"What are you doing? Don't you know anything about picking fresh food?" She took the tomato away from him. She showed him a portion of the tomato was discolored and squishy. Not a healthy tomato. "Here, give me your list. Your list; the one with everything you need to buy, give it here." Reluctantly he gave her the list that Hinata wrote out. _**She's so pushy. Why do I always have to deal with this difficult girl? How does Naruto do it? **_

"Don't you have anything better to do than lecture me about produce?" Neji watched as she read over the list. While she went down the list she grabbed vegetables and fruits from the vendor. Sakura explained why certain ones were good and the reason others weren't. Pears should be smooth no bruises. The same goes for most vegetables. Tomatoes should smell earthy. Don't choose carrots that are too thick, they tend to have tough centers. After going through his entire list she gave it back to him.

"There, now you have a lot of healthy food and you don't look like an idiot when you take them home. Don't you feel better knowing that I could help you?" Sakura grinned with confidence. She was obviously taking pleasure in knowing she was smarter than him when it came to groceries. Neji didn't care about her flora knowledge. He was more anxious to know why she'd even care to assist him.

"Why did you aid me? What do you have to gain?" Neji couldn't figure out what her motive for assisting him could be. _**What reason could she possibly have to help?**_

"Are you serious?" she asked sarcastically, "It's no wonder no one likes you. Do you always think that to help someone you have to have an ulterior motive? Do you think that no one is capable of helping others just because they want to?"

For once Neji thought about her questions_**. Lee said the same thing, didn't he? But, isn't the reason we assist people because we hope to get something in return? No one is unconditionally helpful. Why help someone if it gets you nothing?**_ Neji looked down at the bag of fruits and vegetables. _**Haruno helped me pick vegetables but says she wants nothing in return. I don't understand.**_

Seeing his confusion she elaborated. "I helped you because I wanted to. Even though you were a total jerk the other day, I decided that right then you needed a little help. I wasn't expecting to get something in return. You should try it once. People wouldn't know what to think."

_**Try helping someone? Without any personal gain?**_ He looked at the vendor's wares and chose an apple. _Is he actually thinking about what I said_? After Sakura's veggie lecture he could pick out a good one. Neji turned it around in his hand. He paid for the extra apple and put it in his bag.

"Goodbye, Haruno." With that Neji started off back to the estate leaving Sakura in the dust for a second time. Sakura's jaw dropped in amazement at his rude behavior. _What a prick! Just once, I'd like for him to say thank you for something_! Sakura bought her ginger and ran to catch up with him. _We're heading to the same place anyway!_

After coming up beside him Sakura decided take a whack at being conversational. "So, why were you grocery shopping? Maid's day off?" As she expected he ignored her. Sakura let out an annoyed sigh and continued walking an arms-length distance from him; any closer would've been even more uncomfortable. After a few minutes of quiet Neji made Sakura jump by suddenly speaking.

"Why are you following me Haruno?" More than a question it was a statement that said 'you shouldn't be here'.

"I'm not! And even if I was…what're you gonna do to stop me? Throw a tomato at me?" Sakura knew that she was acting like a spoiled child but couldn't stop herself. _Something about Neji-san is always ticking me off._ Something made her feel like being defensive. "If you have to know, I'm taking some herbs and such to your cousin. You know, she makes medicine for-"

"-the hospital. I know." Neji was quick about finishing her sentence. An attempt to prove that he didn't need her to tell him everything.

"Sure you know. I had to get herbs for five different patients. Some aren't as seriously injured as others but it's good to get their medicine made by the best. Hinata's a _genius_."

Sakura seemed to have forgotten that they were arguing before. She always seemed to lose her anger after a minute to cool down. Already she was talking up a storm. "She's going to make medicine from all the herbs I got. I got Echinacea for a guy who has his horrible fever. And… some Comfrey for this ninja who just got back from a dangerous mission. He has a lot of cuts and injuries as well as a few broken bones. I hope she can make some extra for future use. That stuff is used up fast around here. Oh, guess what?"

She seemed to actually be waiting for a response. _**Absurd.**_ He was listening to her ramble on about the hospital, even though Neji didn't really want to encourage her speaking. He preferred to walk in silence but she wasn't shutting up any time soon. Sakura continued her conversation anyway, and upon hearing the beginning of a new story Neji began to think it sounded familiar.

"I was helping out at the hospital yesterday and I whammed a door into some poor guy. I felt so bad but he acted like a jerk even though I was just trying to help him." Sakura kept going but this time she actually had Neji's attention. _**She's talking about me**_. "Anyway I used up the last of the Comfrey stuff on his cut. Even then he was still really pompous. I hope he decided to suck it up and say he was sorry to his girlfriend. Otherwise he'll just get hit again."

Neji was finding that he wanted the topic changed. He'd had enough of listening to something he already knew about firsthand. She didn't need to tell him, he was there. He coughed and interjected into her story, "What other herbs did you purchase?"

Sakura didn't seem to notice that he was deliberately changing the subject. Her eyes brightened as she described the rest. "Hinata's going to make this ginger and the chamomile into powders for teas. Ginger tea is good for stomach aches, you know? I also bought some aloe plants for…well; they're mostly used for making salves for burns."

Without thinking Neji interrupted again, "Was that one on your list?"

Sakura seemed stumped. _How did he know it wasn't on the list?_ "No, it wasn't. I added it when I got to Ino's shop. It's for a girl at the hospital. I've healed a lot of the burns but I can only do so much. I'm a little-"

"-limited." Neji remembered her saying something similar when he went to the hospital with Lee.

A look of confusion plastered Sakura's face. "Yeah, that's what I was…going to…say…" _It's like he knows my thoughts. That's crazy, he can't read peoples minds! Can he? I mean he does have that freaky eye thing going on…_Sakura wasn't aware but her squinting glare was making Neji uncomfortable. _**What the…?**_

He was waiting for her inevitable question. It was coming soon and hopefully it wouldn't ask about how he'd finished her sentence. Neji heard Sakura take a deep breath._** Here it comes.**_

"Neji, you didn't…" Sakura got closer and closer to his face with a slight glare in her eyes, "…read my mind or something did you?"

"No, that's ludicrous."

Sakura stepped back to her original distance and resumed walking beside him. Neji let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. _**What is it that keeps making me hold my breath**_? "Ok, but it sure was creepy how you finished my sentence. Hey, look we're here."

Neji hadn't noticed but they arrived at the Hyuuga mansion. _**Her conversations distracted me from recognizing the area**_. Neji opened the door and went in. Sakura stood outside for a moment. _Do I follow him in or do I just wait for Hinata?_ Meanwhile, Neji was waiting at the door.

"Are you going to enter or not?" He asked impatiently. Sakura seemed to make up her mind and she stumbled in, almost tripping over the entranceway. Neji noticed and bit back a bitter remark on how clumsy she was. He led the way to the kitchen where his meek cousin Hinata was getting things ready; for medicine or for cooking, Neji couldn't tell. His cousin noticed his entrance and smiled weakly.

"Th-thank you Neji-ni-san. I hope it w-wasn't…too much trouble…" Hinata's habit of looking down had not yet abandoned her. It took her a second to realize that Sakura was there as well. "Ah! Sakura-san! I'm s-sorry! I didn't…see…"

Sakura had to stop her from looking the way she did. _Hinata is always apologizing; always. You'd think being around Naruto would've made her a little more…well, like Naruto. Guess not._ "It's alright, Hinata-san. Here are the things for the hospital. I was wondering how soon they'd be done so I'd know when to come back for them…"

Hinata rummaged through the bag with the herbs and such. The silver-eyed girl then asked which ones she'd want done first. Which were more urgent? "The t-tea powders would be the easiest…b-but anything that c-can be healed with tea is not usually serious."

"Well, we use the comfrey a lot but-"

"You should make the aloe salve first," Neji cut in. If he hadn't spoken the two girls would've forgotten that he was there. Both girls thought he'd already left the kitchen yet there he stood looking as serious as ever. They stared at him unsure of what to do. _**Did they not hear me?**_ "You should make the aloe salve first," he reiterated.

Sakura took her eyes away from him to talk to Hinata. "Yes, I'd like it if you made the aloe salve first. Someone at the hospital needs it pretty badly. How soon can it be done?"

"I-I can have it done…in a few minutes. I'll get s-started!" Hinata grabbed all that she needed and quickly went to work. She told Sakura to wait and she'd have it done in no time. Sakura wasn't worried about that but she was a little concerned with Neji. _Why had he…I mean, how did he know that…the aloe was the most urgent? There could be worse cases at the hospital that needed medicine desperately. Something's going on here…_

"What?" glared Neji. Apparently she'd been giving him a look that was anything but friendly. _**She looks like…she's trying to figure something out in her head.**_ He'd seen the look before when sparring with his teammates. When they were trying to think of a way to get under his guard, like they'd figured out a pattern. _**Uh-oh.**_

Sakura stared him down. _He's hiding something. Let's think, what have I seen him do today that seemed very…un-Neji. He froze up when I tapped his shoulder. That's not normal is it? He questioned my actions. That's pretty much Neji. He then left me in the dust. That's very him too. Wait._ Sakura just realized something about the walk back. _He…that punk changed the subject when we were talking about the hospital. Come to think of it, he acted a little weird when I talked about the burned girl_ …Suddenly Sakura had a feeling about what was going on. _If I'm right…_

Sakura strode quickly over to where Neji was leaning against the wall; he didn't have time to brace himself. She got extremely close to his face. _**Why can't I move?**_ "You…" Neji knew what was coming next. "You were at the hospital. Why were you there?"

_**There is no way on Kami's green earth she could know that. Why admit to something that could not be proven true?**_ Neji turned his head away from her glare with difficulty. "I haven't a clue of what you're talking about." That's when she saw it. There was a faint line from where the hospital door had left a mark. She hadn't seen it earlier. Sakura hadn't been close enough.

"Interesting mark on your temple…I'll bet it came from a _door_," Sakura frowned. She was pretty much positive now that he'd been the guy she hit with the door. _Was he spying on me? Why would he do that?_ Now that she thought about it she'd felt that the stranger had been rude and obnoxious and…familiar? Her first impression was that the guy had been like Neji. _That's because he was Neji!_ _I'm an idiot!_

Sakura then remembered how she'd had that talk with him, about finding someone who'd like her. She even talked about him. Suddenly she felt embarrassed as well as angry. Her face was turning red as she slowly backed away from his face. "Why…would you…?" Sakura couldn't finish her sentence because of her anger.

"It wasn't by choice, I can assure you," Neji admitted to being there. "If you hadn't hit me with the door with your beastly strength I guarantee you would not have even known." Neji noticed that she'd backed away from him, giving him a little space.

"What reason could you have to…?"

Neji decided not to bring Lee into it_**. Lee is on good terms with Haruno so it'd be bad for our future teamwork if Lee was angry with me.**_ "I just felt like it."

"You felt like spying on me?!" Sakura shouted. _I can't believe this guy! I practically pour my heart out to a complete stranger and it ends up being him! This is so humiliating._ Sakura could feel tears at the corners of her eyes start to form. _I will not give him the satisfaction of knowing that he upset me this much. He will not see me cry!_ She ran out of his kitchen and slammed the door behind her as she went out the front.

Neji was dumbstruck at what'd just happened. _**Why is she making such a big fuss out of this? So I happened to be at the hospital. And I was in disguise the whole time. It's not like I have any obligations to be nice to her. **_

"Neji-ni-san…I think you made her cry…" Hinata whispered, as if the tension would tear were she too loud. She put the salve in a container. _**It's for the burned girl.**_ "Cousin, if I'm not…b-being a bother…maybe you should say you're sorry…"

"I will not. I did nothing wrong." Neji held his ground. _**That's right. Haruno's the one who blew up in my face. She should be doing the apologizing.**_

"You're b-being stubborn, Cousin…take this to her…" Hinata handed him the container and an ice pack. "I'm going to finish the rest of the medicine…"

"What's the ice pack for?" Neji was confused.

"It's to put on her eyes. She'll need it if she…doesn't want them being red and puffy later." She went about working on the other herbs. Chopping them up and grinding them into powers. "And don't f-forget…to say you're sorry."

Neji was going to suck it up and go find her. _**I will not apologize. I will not.**_ He used his Byakugan to find her on the east side of the village. He expected her to go home but Sakura was in the woods not far from the estate. _**This is ridiculous**_. He quickly caught up with her.

The first thing he noticed was that there were a lot of trees that were knocked down. Neji was sure that Sakura was the cause behind it. Many of the trees had been split in half. _**Her strength is insane; along with her temper**_. She was sitting on a few logs that she'd probably thrown into a pile in her rage. Sakura had her arms hanging off her knees and her head bent low. He could hear her breathing slowly, probably trying to calm down.

"Haruno," Neji finally interrupted the silence. He expected her to snap up her head and start throwing punches at him but she didn't. In fact she didn't respond at all. "Haruno," he repeated a little louder.

"I can hear you fine…What do you want?" She didn't raise her head at all. Neji didn't exactly know how to respond. _**Why did I come out here?**_ He remembered the salve in his pocket and the ice pack.

"My cousin requested I give you these," he said as he pulled out the items from Hinata. Sakura didn't move to acknowledge the articles. She didn't seem to want to look him in the eye. Neji was glad for it. He didn't want to see her glare either. "It's the aloe salve and an icepack."

"Why would I need an icepack?" Sakura asked coldly.

Neji thought the answer seemed obvious. _**She's a medic nin so she must know about how crying makes your eyes red. Ice reduces swelling correct? Then again she wouldn't need it if I hadn't…**_

"Why did you bring them to me? What do you have to _gain_ Hyuuga Neji?" Sakura had a lot of spite in her voice as she mocked him. _Jerk_. He saw her clench her hands and then unclench them. "You're not capable of doing something for someone else. All you have is your egotism and your self-reliance. Do you think you can change that?"

Neji was starting to realize how wrong it was to deceive her. _**Hell hath no fury…**_Neji had overstepped his bounds with Sakura. The hospital was the one place she could go to help people. She felt safe there. Felt that she was making a difference. The only thing Sakura ever tried to do was help others and he stomped all over it.

"Do you know why I like going to the hospital? I want to be of use to people. I don't want anyone thinking I'm useless. Or weak. Or pathetic. I like helping people. I even helped you. Yet you stomp on my ideals. You don't like helping people. You like hurting them…"

He recalled many of the things she said to him:

'_I could help, what do you need?'_

'_I wish I could do more to help.'_

'_I'm going to help you whether you want it or not.'_

'_Be careful on the way home.'_

_**She always seemed to put everyone else first. Why didn't I notice before?**_ Suddenly being right wasn't as important as Neji thought it was. _**I feel…what do I feel? I feel horrible about this.**_

'_I helped you because I wanted to.'_

Neji walked closer to the log pile. He knew what he was going to have to say but he was worried she'd strike him down before he got the chance. Sakura seemed to notice that he was getting closer. She turned her head a little in his direction but avoided looking up.

"I…" Neji hesitated. "I apologize…for…everything I've said or done. It was…wrong…of me to trick you earlier." He waited for the onslaught, for some type of assault; whether it be verbal or physical, he was ready for it. It didn't come. Silence.

"Why did you do it?" Sakura merely asked as she looked up a little. Her eyes were a little red from her tears. _He actually said he was sorry. Why?_

"Honestly…" Neji was uncertain he should tell the truth but seeing how lies were what got him into this predicament he settled on honesty. He'd tell the truth but try his best to leave Lee out of the conversation. "I wanted to find out if you were the kind of person someone said you were. He said you were kind and unselfish…I have, uh, I _had _a hard time believing that. I thought I could find out without your knowledge. Hence the disguise."

"You weren't intending on getting hit with the door though…"

"No…I wasn't." Neji admitted. He found he was being less formal with her and was wearing an embarrassed look on his face. He heard Sakura giggle. "What?"

"I'm sorry it's just…I thought you'd rather take a beating than admit that something you did was wrong. I guess my guess was wrong huh?" She climbed down from the tower of tree trunks. But Sakura lost her footing and fell backwards. She braced herself for the fall; she was sure she'd hit the ground. Neji somewhat caught her after dropping the icepack and salve. A little embarrassed to have someone so close to him, he quickly helped her stand up.

"Hey, you caught me!" Sakura smiled triumphantly. _I never thought…_

"Wait, did you fall on purpose?" Neji asked astounded. _**It does sound like something she would do…**_

"Of course not! I'm just a little surprised. Why did you catch me?" Sakura asked as she bent down and picked up the icepack and container full of salve. It didn't open from being dropped so Sakura was relieved.

"What kind of absurd question is that? I wasn't going to just let you fall." Neji tried defending his actions. _What's the big deal? I was just…helping her…_He was suddenly feeling embarrassed again.

"Don't worry so much Neji-san. You want to know what just happened? You helped someone without hoping to gain something in return. You should feel good about it." Sakura stood back up and handed him the icepack. "I don't need that."

"Well, what happens now? Is that it? Can you really forgive me after such a simple apology?" Neji asked. He'd never had to say he was sorry to anyone before. He didn't quite know how this worked.

"Wow, Neji-san, have you never gotten into an argument with someone before? I'm sure you have but you've never apologized either? I feel kinda special to get the first Hyuuga apology! I sure have weird friends." Sakura started walking back to the village but noticed that Neji wasn't following. She turned to see him standing at the log tower still. "What? Something wrong?"

"Haruno, did you say…that we're…friends?" Neji had his teammates of course and he guessed that made them his friends; he had rivals too but that's not the same. _**Friends…with Haruno.**_

"You apologized and owned up what you did wrong…and I forgave you didn't I? So yeah, we're friends. Come on, I want to get to the hospital sometime today," Sakura continued through the woods pushing branches out of her way. Neji followed behind without a word.

_Never in a million years would I think that Neji-san could do something without anything to gain. He was honest and admitted to his deception. Maybe Lee was right. Maybe he's not as bad as I thought. _

_**Haruno just became my friend as if this huge conflict meant nothing. And for some reason I don't mind that she called me her friend. Did she do something to change the way I act? Or was it my own doing? Maybe by being friends with Haruno I can become a different. Stronger. Better. She didn't think I could change but I'll show her!**_

They continued toward the village in an understood silence leaving them both to think about what they had accomplished that day.

**FREYA: So that chapter was extremely long…They just seem to get longer and longer. Hopefully the next won't be as long. It's tiring to type so much. Anyway, I explained earlier that it was hard getting these two onto common ground. They're probably still going to get into arguments but eventually they'll realize how much they care for each other. FREYA HAS SPOKEN!**

**It may be a while before the next chapter is posted. Be ready for a wait. Leave a review if you deem it worthy. Check out the forums if you want to help with my writers block (not just for this story but the NaruxHina one too). Freya has spoken.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Freya: Yeah so Freya here. I have been on some severe writers block. I wish I could continue my NaruxHina fic but I seem lost on that one too. Woe is me. I even started writing a CardCaptors one-shot fic in Word. It's not even half finished and I stopped. **

**Anyway, I do not own the characters of Naruto. If I did I'd take Gaara to a dance club and dance in the most provocative positions all night long. God I'm drooling…Freya has spoken.**

Chapter 4: A Little Confused

A strange thing was happening to Sakura. She did her usual work at the hospital and the normal errands for the Hokage but…something was changing. Instead of looking forward to working hard all day, she looked forward to going to the roof at noon to talk with him. It felt weird because before she would've rather had her teeth pulled then to have to converse with the ill-mannered Hyuuga. _At first I thought it was just Neji-san who was different but now I'm not so sure. Is he the one changing or is it me?_

"So…weird…" Sakura muttered to herself with a smile. She continued her way up the Tower's stairs and through the door to the roof. Neji was already there with his bento next to him. _Again with the meditation?_ Sakura made her way to his spot and sat across from him.

"Why is it that every time I see you meditating I think you're asleep?" Sakura asked with her elbows on her knees and her hands intertwined under her chin. _Heh, Sasuke used to sit like this and now I can see why. It's so…mysterious and cool._

"The very purpose of meditation is to be at peace with your surroundings and to concentrate your mind. It would make logical sense that I appear 'serene'." Neji spouted his great vocabulary all over the place without opening an eye. _If I tried to talk like that I think my head would explode._

"Do you ever talk like a normal person?" Sakura asked, trying to poke fun at his great use of words. For the past couple of days they'd been meeting to eat lunch together. They were used to each other's company but that didn't mean they knew everything about each other. Neji still had his eyes closed.

"Define 'normal', Haruno?" Neji wasn't going to play nice. It was something Sakura was getting used to.

"Not using crazy amounts of the dictionary in every sentence would be normal."

"Not for me it wouldn't…"

"Well, I guess that's true. You wouldn't be Hyuuga Neji if you couldn't insult someone with words they didn't know existed." He opened one eye to give an annoyed glare. "I'll tell you though, I can't talk like that. I'd cough up my voice box or swallow my tongue."

"What a tragedy that would be," mocked Neji with sarcasm and smirk. _Hah! There's a sort of half a smile_. He finally stopped meditating and started opening his bento. With chopsticks he ate quietly. Sakura opened her bento as well. She was anything but quiet. She chatted about hospital things and the local gossip going around. That was something Neji had gotten used to.

This was the only time they got together and talked. Or more like Sakura talked. Neji just sat and listened or meditated. The upside was that he wasn't insulting her at every turn. He was trying to learn to be more…normal. Sakura didn't mind. It was nice having someone to talk to even if they didn't care about what you were saying.

Sakura looked over at Neji's lunch. It was amazing looking. There were so many delicious looking things that she was having trouble believing that he made it. _Neji's too stubborn to make his own meals. I'll bet Hinata made it._ This made Sakura look to her own meal. Rice and a few vegetables. It was very simple and the only thing Sakura really knew how to make…except for ramen.

"Neji-san, are you going to go to the hospital again today? To see Chihiro?" Sakura asked as she finished the last of her meal and drank her tea. _Ick._ It had gotten cold.

Neji stopped and looked like he was thinking about it. Sakura already knew that the answer was yes. She only asked to get him to talk about it. To be more open with his thoughts.

"I _may_ visit the hospital later _if_ I have time," Neji spoke like he had better things to do. _Yeah, he's so going to the hospital. He doesn't even know it but he cares about what happens to the little burned girl. He doesn't know how concerned he is. How sweet._ Sakura laughed at his obliviousness. He looked up at her snickering face.

"What is so hilarious, Haruno?" Neji stared as he put his containers away. _**What is she laughing for?**_ At times he'd catch her laughing at him and most of the time she'd give him the response, 'I'm sorry, it's just…I couldn't help it.' What was it about him that made her laugh so much?

Sakura giggled, "I'm sorry, it's just…" Neji resisted the urge to roll his eyes, a habit he'd gotten into by being around her, "It's just that you have no idea how cute you are! I didn't think you could be so sweet."

Neji was stunned. _**Haruno just called me cute. And sweet. Why doesn't that bother me as much as it should?**_ After seeing the stunned look in his eyes Sakura realized what she said. _I meant that the way he was acting was cute…right? I just thought it was cute that he was terrible at hiding his feelings. I said he was sweet too. Is there a way to clear this up? Probably not. _

Neji decided to pretend he didn't hear it. "At any rate, I have to return home. I have a training session with my cousin. Not Hinata. Hanabi. Good afternoon, Haruno."

Sakura, clearly embarrassed, returned his goodbye. "Yeah, tomorrow for lunch right? Don't be late," she joked seeing as she was the one that always showed up second.

Neji jumped from the building and out of Sakura's sight. She stood there for a long time before realizing that he was gone. She promptly popped herself in the head. _What's wrong with me? I just called him cute! And sweet! Why on earth would I say that?_ Sakura had to stop and think. _Well, he is good looking, that's not untrue…He has nice features. He's taller than me and he's strong. He's a prodigy from the Hyuuga clan. And since he's been trying to become more outgoing he isn't so bad a guy. I think he's nice to be around…Oh no…_

"Am I starting to like the guy?" Sakura was beginning to freak out. _I can't! I can't like him! No! No! No! Wait! I have nothing to worry about._ Sakura grinned in triumph. _Neji-san could never like me so why should I worry? I'm sure that this is just a Neji phase or something. Yeah, I'll bet all the girls in the village go through this! Then they realize what a jerk he is and then they stop…UGH! That doesn't work either_! Sakura paced violently in circles. _I already know what he's like so I'm not going to be scared away! I even oppose him all the time!_ Sakura finally took a seat on the ground with a plop.

"I need to talk to someone about this. Someone who's not going to tell the whole village about it," Sakura whispered to herself. She let herself fall backwards and look up at the sky. There were light clouds but no threat of rain. _That'll change in a few days. Oh, I know who I should talk to about this!_ She pulled herself up quickly and went back to picking up her bento.

"I'll talk to him when I'm done with my errands. He seems to know Neji-san pretty well." And down the tower stairs she went.

After leaving the top of the Hokage Tower Neji wandered back to the estate. A lot of things weighed on his mind. The one most notably finding its way into his thoughts was the comment she had made.

'_It's just that you have no idea how cute you are!'_

_**Should I be annoyed? Was it some form of a compliment?**_ He couldn't remember what they'd even been talking about. _**I didn't know how to respond to her words. Is that strange? **_Neji tried his hardest to push it out of his mind.

Once he returned to the Hyuuga Mansion he found out that Hanabi was gone. _**Yes that's right. She's training with Uncle. How could I have forgotten that?**_

'_I didn't think you could be so sweet.'_

_**Damn it all. Why won't this stop bothering me?**_ He looked into the kitchen to find Hinata but she was also not there. _**On another one of her escapades with Uzumaki no doubt.**_ He looked through the fruit on the counter and picked up an apple. A few days ago he'd bought and extra apple and he'd given it to Chihiro in the hospital. _**I think I'll bring her another one and check on her progress. **_

Neji left the mansion and headed to the hospital with haste. He hoped he would not run into Sakura while he was there. _**Why should I care? Haruno works there, it wouldn't be uncommon to see her there but…**_Neji thought about it. _**I don't feel comfortable speaking with her right now.**_

He arrived without delay and quickly went up to the girl's room. A smile broadened her face as he entered and she sat up quickly.

"Neji-kun! Yay!" Neji managed to give her a weak smile. It wasn't something he was used to doing often. Sakura had told him he needed to do it more. _**Like it was any of her business. **_

"Good afternoon Miss Chihiro. How are you feeling?" He asked as he sat down in the chair by her bed. With a big smile she told him she was fine and feeling good.

"Is Sakura coming too?" questioned the little girl with inquisitive eyes. She'd grown used to her teenage visitors coming to see her together. She had to question as to why it was different today.

"Haruno is busy working for the Hokage. I came alone today." He produced the apple from his sleeve and handed it to her. Chihiro took a big bite out of it. She didn't like her apples cut up like most children.

"But I thought-" she started with her mouth full.

"Swallow your food before speaking Miss Chihiro," he ordered softly. She promptly swallowed.

"But I thought that boyfriends and girlfriends went everywhere together," continued Chihiro as she took another bite.

Neji was taken aback. _**Where do children learn these things?**_ "Miss Chihiro. Haruno and I are not…courting each other. We are merely…friends." The word 'friends' was the best one he could come up with to describe his relationship with Sakura. He was unsure of a better word. He wasn't sure why he had to explain himself to a 10-year-old at all.

"Really? Are you sure?" she had finished her apple and handed him the core. He tossed it into the trash bin on the other side of the room with ease. He assured her that he was sure. "Then why do you stare at her?" Neji was appalled at what the kid was saying.

"I…I do not." Now he was arguing with a child. _**What does a child know? Why do I feel the need to defend myself?**_

"You do too!" spoke the child indignantly. She didn't want to lose her argument.

"When? When was I staring?" He was beginning to sound like a child himself. _**What she says can't possibly be true. I'd have noticed**_. Neji then remembered when he saw her in the hospital the first time. He had been staring then but was not willing to admit it.

"I saw you! It was when she smiled and laughed at _my_ joke day before yesterday! I saw you!" Now the child was smiling at her presumed win. Neji's face felt hot but it wasn't from anger. It was from embarrassment.

"That's enough Chihiro." She stopped her laughing and 'Neji likes Sakura' taunts. Neji wasn't quite sure what he was feeling. He told her he'd come visit her again soon and she waved as he preceded to jump out her window.

He landed easily and decided to take an alternative route home. A route that didn't pass by many people. The reason being, his face was still flushed and he didn't want anyone to see him. _**Why would anything a child says bother me? **_

'_It's just that you have no idea how cute you are!'_

_**Not again!**_ Neji found a tree and sat on a high branch, obscuring him from view. _**What's happening? I've never felt so stressed out in my life.**_ He looked down to see two people walking into the alley. First Neji made sure his presence was masked so no one would go looking up the tree. After doing so he realized he recognized the couple…_**Lee and Ten-ten? **_

They had been walking on the street but they took a sudden turn into the alley. They walked a few yards until they were out of sight from anyone on the street and then Ten-ten pushed Lee to the wall of the nearest building and began kissing him.

Neji wasn't sure he should be watching. _**So what Haruno said was true**_. They couldn't seem to keep their hands off of each other; so much so that Neji made himself look away. In a matter of minutes Ten-ten released her hold on her green-suited lover and bid him farewell. Lee only waved with a very dazed look in his eyes.

"Lee," Neji spoke behind Lee after Ten-ten was long out of sight. Lee jumped and turned around to face his teammate.

"Neji-san, can I help you?" Lee was trying hard not to wear a guilty look on his face; trying to look innocent. Though what he and Ten-ten were doing moments ago was anything but. Lee looked at Neji with confusion. "What's wrong with your face Neji-san? It's a little red…?"

"That is somewhat the reason I wish to speak with you." Neji looked up and down the alley. All seemed quiet enough. "Something strange is going on with me…I'm not sure what to make of it…"

Lee looked a little concerned. "Are you sick? You could go to the-"

"I am not ill. Or maybe I am…I don't know anymore. Lately, I've been meeting with Haruno for lunch. She found out about-" Neji was cut off.

"Yeah, I know about it."

"I…I apologized to her…and now something's happening." Neji was having trouble describing what he meant. _**How do you explain…?**_

"What's wrong?" Lee questioned.

"I keep staring at her…intently. I don't understand why though. She isn't that overly attractive and when I think about what she said about me being cute…I can't help but feel…" Neji was getting lost in his explanation. He'd never felt more confused. Lee started to snicker.

"I see. I think I know what's happening to you Neji-san." Lee patted Neji's shoulder, an act he would never have dared to do before, but seeing as Neji was unstable at the moment he felt no fear from doing so_**. He does? What is it?**_ Lee removed his hand from Neji's shoulder. "There's only one way to know for sure…"

"Well?" Neji was becoming impatient.

"Do you like Sakura-san, Neji-san?" Lee questioned him with a brow raised. Neji felt the familiar sensation of his face getting warm. He answered no, of course. "That's not what your face says. Heh, look." Lee showed him his reflection in a window pane.

_**What the…?**_ Neji could see that his cheeks sported a slight pink under them.

"Wanna know why you're so confused Neji-san? It's cause you're liking someone for the first time and you don't know how to react about it. You've been cold to people for so long that you felt you weren't capable of liking someone; that relationships weren't necessary." Neji was having a bit of trouble letting it sink in. _**I like…Haruno? That's what's causing all this?**_

'_I didn't think you could be so sweet.'_

Neji let his mind wander. _**Maybe what he says makes sense. I wouldn't have been bothered by her comment if I didn't like her, would I? Haruno has made a very clear point many times that she does not like men like me. What am I supposed to do?**_

"Lee, is there any way to get this to stop? The staring, the blushing, my insecurity about this." Neji asked earnestly. _**I can't have Haruno knowing that…I…like her…**_

Lee looked supremely confused. "Now, why on earth would you want to do that? You do like her don't you?"

"It seems so…" Neji said despairingly, "…but I…" Lee could sense his hopelessness and started to chuckle.

"What's so bad about liking someone, Neji-san? Are you afraid she won't like you? I'm sure if you got to know her better, you know, compliment her every once in a while, maybe bring her something nice, she'd warm up to you. Why don't you just talk to her about it? Contrary to her temper, Sakura-san is a very understanding person."

Neji simply nodded looking like a defeated child instead of a genius ninja. _**If I'm such a genius how is it that I required Lee to figure out my predicament?**_ He thanked Lee and started to walk away. "How weird…"

Neji turned and spoke, "What? What's 'weird'?"

"You said 'thank you'. You didn't thank people before…maybe you're changing for the better, huh?" Lee bounded off in a different direction from Neji.

Neji walked in silence for a while. Many questions still plagued his mind even though some things were straightened out for him. _**How do I tell Haruno that I like her? I couldn't possibly. She doesn't hate me as much as before but it's far from like. Though…it is possible for her to like me. Haruno said she'd given up on Uchiha Sasuke. I need to explore this option more.**_ Neji spent the next couple of hours just walking around; lost deep in thought.

Sakura was running out the door. _I'm done with Tsunade-sama's errands today. I just have to find Lee-kun. He'll know what to do…hopefully he can shed some light on this for me. I still can't believe I called him cute!_

"I need to put a filter somewhere between my brain and my mouth," she mumbled.

Sakura jumped onto a few rooftops to get high enough to look around. _Where is he? I mean really, he wears that green suit for crying out loud. It shouldn't be difficult spot-ah! There!_ Sakura could see Lee heading in her direction. _Great! I don't know what I would've done if I had to chase him. No one can catch that guy_.

"Lee-kun! Do you have a minute?" She asked once he got closer.

"Sure, Sakura-san. What can I do?" Lee inquired.

"Well…"

After going to a nearby park and explaining her dilemma Sakura waited for his response. He'd been very quiet the entire time and didn't interrupt her once. Lee had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, as if thinking.

"Hmm…" was his only reaction.

"Is that really all you have to say Lee-kun?! I'm in trouble here, can't you give me some advice?" she spoke frantically. He was so damn calm about it. _Of course he is! He's not the one with a crisis!_

"It's not that I don't have anything to say Sakura-san, it's just that I really don't see where there is a problem," he opened his eyes and looked at her. Sakura was about to weird out again, it was evident on her face. _What does he mean there's no problem?_

"Lee-kun, you don't understand. I called him cute! I even said he was sweet!" she was on the verge of squealing.

"So?"

"He didn't insult me afterwards though! Something like that calls for a Neji-insult! I can't like him. I can't. I see him everyday practically now, too. Should I just act like nothing happened, Lee-kun?" Sakura's voice had cracked multiple times. _I can't accept this. I'm starting to like Neji-san. Sure there's plenty to like. He's gorgeous, a genius, and he's probably got one hell of a sexy body. Maybe there's something wrong with me; cause there isn't anything wrong with him…that's for sure. _She mentally slapped herself again.

"Sakura-san, your face is…" Lee started but didn't finish. Sakura pulled out a small mirror and looked at her face. Her cheeks were flushed a bright pink matching her hair. _Oh no!_

"Lee-kun! How do I get this to end?" Sakura asked gravely.

Lee laughed and clutched his middle. Sakura didn't understand what was so funny. He tried to talk through his laughter but he couldn't. Finally after he'd finished gasping for breath he started talking.

Lee recalled Neji asking him earlier.

'_Lee, is there any way to get this to stop?_'

"You two," Lee said, "are more alike than you realize. I'm sure it'll be fine. You're over thinking this Sakura-san. So what if you like Neji? What's so bad about that?"

Sakura really didn't have to think about it. _I didn't used to like him, not even a bit! Neji was rude, selfish, and stuck up. But…the keyword is that he 'was'. He's different ever since I blew up at him and he said he was sorry. He's still a little rude but he's trying to be more…social. Human. Maybe that's what changed my feelings. He's different now. Vulnerable, like me. It may even be possible for him to start liking people. Maybe even me._

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lee-kun, are you trying to say that I should just go ahead and like him? That it'll work itself out eventually?" Sakura asked. Lee nodded and Sakura's head fell. _Great. This was about as much help as I would've gotten from a toad_. Lee told her he had to get going but good luck with her endeavors.

"Yeah, right…" she grumbled as he began to walk away.

Before he departed, Lee left her with some last minute advice. "Sakura-san, I wouldn't worry about it so much. If it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out. If it does it does. That's all there really is to it…You can't know it's going to be bad unless you give it a shot. That's my advice." She nodded and looked at the dirt under her feet. _Lee-kun gave me guidance but I'm still lost. What am I supposed to do?_

Sakura stood and headed back to her home with a slow stroll. She was in no hurry. All she would do when she got home would be eating and studying alone. No one to speak with about her troubles. Lay awake in bed thinking. Sakura let out an aggravated sigh. _One can think too much, you know? _

She arrived at her home and walked in. Sakura had gotten her own place when she started studying with the Hokage. She wanted a place closer to the tower so that it'd be easier to get there on time and not have to walk far after her errands or training. She looked around the small yet overly cluttered apartment with disappointment. _Home sweet home. I guess._

Sakura's home smelled like herbal remedies and chemicals. Aside from all the work she did for the Hokage she also did her own research into medicine and such. Though she wasn't as good as Hinata was at it she did make some of her own medicine…most of it untested. She smirked when she thought of how she'd tried to use some on Naruto. The medicine worked, very well actually, but the side effects…let's just say Naruto couldn't leave the bathroom for a few hours.

"Alright. Let's cook some dinner…" Sakura sighed. She stepped over a few scrolls and the heavy weight barbells on the floor. It wasn't only the mind that Sakura worked on; the body was important too.

She prepared a teapot of water and brought it to a boil. Afterwards she added it to the ramen cup and waited her allotted three minutes. Sakura let out a sigh as she waited. _Naruto was right…The three minutes you have to wait for ramen to be ready really sucks._ As she was about to reach for the noodles she heard a knock at the door.

"Who…would visit me this late? Ino, probably," she mumbled. When she didn't immediately answer they knocked again. _Fine, fine! I'm getting there!_ "I'm coming, hold on!" She danced around objects in her way so she wouldn't knock anything over and almost tripped over the weights she used for some training. Even though she announced her presence the knocking didn't cease. Sakura was doing all she could not to lose her temper with her friend.

"I said I was-!" her yell was cut short when she opened the door to reveal Neji with his fist up to knock the door again. Sakura quickly rammed the door shut again with her back against the frame.

_What's he doing here?! Better yet, how did he find my house? _

_**Why did she slam the door on me? I just want to…talk…Then again I did show up uninvited. I suppose it was rude of me?**_

"Wh-what do you want, Neji-san? I was getting ready to eat…" she tried desperately to remain calm. If he thought she as busy he might leave.

"Haruno, may I come in? It's difficult talking through the door…" he tried to persuade her to unbolt the door to let him in.

"N-No! You can't come in…" Sakura looked around the mess of an apartment she owned. Books and scrolls everywhere; dirty clothes hanging off of the sofa and table; her entire home looked like an animal was set loose in it. _There's no way I'm letting him in! I can't let him see my home looking like this! He'll think I'm a slob! Though…it is kinda true…_

"Oh, I see…" Neji did a good job of hiding the disappointment in his voice and managed to sound stoic. _**I was hoping to speak with her about the…awkwardness between us earlier. But she doesn't want me coming into her house. Haruno must strongly dislike me**_.

_Is he going away?_ Sakura realized she was sort of harsh about entering her home. The feeling was starting to develop into guilt. _He did come here to talk right? It's not like he came to invade my home._

"Hold on, I'll be out in a minute…" she gave in. Sakura went to her ramen cup and ate a few mouthfuls. After brushing her hair real quick and fixing her shirt she traversed to the other side of her apartment. Neji heard her slip and fall twice but kept his mouth shut.

Sakura opened the door quickly and came out; swiftly shutting it behind her before he could look inside. She gave him an awkward grin. "My home is a little…disorganized…"

"I see…I-I was hoping to speak with you about…earlier…" he spoke nervously.

"Yeah, earlier…" Sakura prevented a blush from coming across her face. _I can't have him knowing about my talk with Lee-kun. Just act natural. Natural_. "What do you wanna talk about?"

Neji wasn't sure how to start. _**Should I tell her? That I'm developing an interest in her? No, more than just an interest. I don't quite know what to say…**_After a few moments of silence Sakura voiced her slight impatience.

"Ah, I'm…sorry…I've never been at a loss for words before…I'm not sure of what to say…" he divulged. _**I just came over here with no real plan. I can't even remember why I headed over here in the first place. I thought I had decided to pretend nothing occurred**_.

Sakura watched Neji's eyes dart away from her. For some reason he wouldn't look her in the eye. It was after he fidgeted, something she'd never seen him do before, Sakura figured he was nervous about something. Maybe her comment from lunch?

"Is this about what I said at lunch today? Because I was just…" She had started her sentence knowing full well what she would say but the words left her as she drew close to the end of her statement. _I was just what? Being honest?_

"That isn't the only reason I came here. I was curious about a few things," he openly admitted. _**Where do I start? How do I start?**_ "For last few days you've been kind to me and at different times I noticed you giggling behind my back. I couldn't figure out if it was because you're trying to be friendly or…"

Talking in front of her door was not only making Sakura nervous but Neji as well. Sakura took advantage of the break in his sentence to make a suggestion of her own.

"Uh, how about we go outside or something? It's kinda hot in here. I know, let's go to Ichiraku. I'll treat you to some commoner's food." Sakura pushed him back out the apartment door before he could protest. _I don't need my neighbors listening in; I refuse to be tomorrow's gossip. _

He followed reluctantly. Neji was still very much confused but welcomed the chance to put his thoughts together. _**Am I sure I want to tell her? She doesn't like me, does she? Wait, she might; she did call me cute. I need to get to the bottom of this 'cute' comment.**_ Soon they arrived at the ramen shop and Sakura took her seat. Neji just stood there staring at her back for a few seconds before regaining his consciousness and taking a seat next to her.

"Two beef bowls please," Sakura requested. _Nothing like food to loosen up a conversation. I'm pretty sure that the ramen girl can keep her mouth shut too. All in all a good idea if I say so myself. I'm a genius._

After the food arrived and Sakura helped herself to a few bites, she tried to get them talking again.

"So, you were worried about something I said earlier?" Sakura asked; playing it cool.

Neji was poking at his food, every once in a while taking a small bite. It wasn't that the food wasn't good; he just wasn't very hungry. "Yes, I was wondering what you meant by it."

"You mean when I said you were cute?" she asked.

He swallowed his food suddenly and turned his head away from her with a slight cough. _**How can she be so blunt and composed about it? Doesn't it bother her in the slightest that she called a guy cute that she barely knows?**_

"It was a compliment," Sakura tried to explain. _Yeah, that's it. A compliment! Why didn't I think of that before?_

"A compliment?"

"Yeah, a compliment. You know, something nice you say-"

Neji cut her off. "Haruno, I know what a compliment is."

Neji let out a sigh_**. So it didn't have a deeper meaning. I mean what am I expecting? Haruno, having deep thoughts? I should have just forgotten about it and moved on. I wanted to confirm whether or not she could like me. Even if she could, what would I do? I'm a complete mess; somehow I knew this would end poorly.**_

"Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" Sakura asked. _If that's all that's bugging him then maybe everything is fine. No big deal right? It's not like I care or anything. It's not like I'm worried about him, right? I mean, what else could possibly be bothering him?_

Neji kept quiet and still looked as if the weight of the world were resting on his shoulders. Sakura felt a little bad. _Maybe something really is bothering him. Jeez, what kind of friend am I? He shows up, needing someone to talk to, I'm the only person that treats him like a human being so who else would he go to, and then I try to get rid of him at my door. God, I'm awful. _

Sakura reached out and pat his shoulder. "Are you alright? What's really bothering you Neji-san?"

Neji looked up from his ramen bowl to her concerned gaze. Her bright green eyes stunned him for a moment but he quickly recovered without her catching on.

"It's nothing, I just…" Neji looked away and then back down at his ramen. "I just haven't been feeling well. Sorry to trouble you with my concerns, Haruno."

Sakura paid for their meals and turned in her seat so that she faced him_. He's having problems and all I can think about is making sure I don't like him. I hate to admit it but I'm being really selfish. I pride myself on helping others; the least I can do is help Neji with whatever is bothering him._

"You're not troubling me. If you have a problem, I'll listen." Sakura sounded a little worried. _**Why would she be worried about me? If only I could tell her my problem; but since my problem pertains to her I can't. What a dilemma, only the Gods would 'bless' me with such a predicament.**_

"Thank you Haruno. I shall think about it. You have my thanks for dinner as well." Neji stood and walked out of Ichiraku. Sakura watched him leave and couldn't help but feel a little sad. _He used to be so determined and strong. Now he seems confused and lost. I wonder what happened. _

He didn't go far; in fact he was still just outside the ramen shop. He let out a deep sigh. _**I'm getting no where with this. Imagine, me, Hyuuga Neji, having difficulties gathering the courage to ask a simple question. **_

_I wish there was something I could do to help him but…_Sakura felt a little ashamed of herself. _I'm afraid to help him because I think that maybe it might mean I like him by doing so. God my brain needs to rest. You know, maybe listening to someone's problems can just be listening to someone's problems. It doesn't have to mean anything more than that. _

_**Maybe I should go back**_. He turned around and took a few steps closer to the shop. _**I can tell her that I'm just having some girl problems. I don't have to tell her that they're about her. **_

Sakura thought maybe if she hurried she could catch up to him.

"Hey Neji-san, wait a minute!" Sakura called out as she got out of her seat.

She pushed the cloth out of the way and ran into someone standing right outside the shop. Her forehead collided with their chest and sent them both tumbling to the ground. For a moment Sakura's head was spinning and her vision was blurred.

"I am so sorry!" as she lifted herself up a little. She still couldn't see very well but her vision quickly cleared to reveal a slightly stunned Hyuuga beneath her. _Oops._

"Haruno…" was all Neji could say as he looked up into her face. _**She came running for me, it was unfortunate that I was right outside the door still. Or maybe I was fortunate?**_ In the position they were currently in Neji could quite easily see down her shirt. His gaze wandered there for a second but it quickly returned to her face.

Sakura was on her hands over him and couldn't find the willpower to move. _You know, now that I look at him he really is good looking. Probably one of the hottest guys in the village._ No one would blame her if she started to like him. Would they?

Neji tried to sit up but it was difficult with Sakura virtually sitting on him. He managed to get onto his elbows before he tried to get her attention.

"Haruno. Get off." Neji saw that she was staring at his face. She didn't seem to hear him. Her gaze was intense. It held his eyes without giving him much chance to protest. He managed to look away with a blush on his face; the blush he had been so desperately trying to keep hidden.

_What's he blushing for?_ Sakura then remembered that she was right on top of him; practically straddling him. An awkward idea came to mind when she thought about how many people must have passed on the street in the last few minutes.

"S-Sorry! I thought you were…further down the street. Heh…" Sakura let out a nervous laugh. _Jeez what's wrong with me?_ She could feel her face heating up. _This is so embarrassing but…_

_**I would push her off me but…**_

Her face was inches from his. Both could see the flushed cheeks of the other. Somehow something clicked in both their minds. _Could it be that he…_

…_**that she likes me too?**_

**Freya: Yeah, I know. You hate me with an overbearing passion. I mean you must be thinking: "what kind of person makes a chapter end there?" I'll be honest. I haven't much planned out the next chapter or even started writing it. So I thought a cliff hanger was appropriate. If you think you have an idea on where this story needs to start going then leave it in my forums or in a review. I don't care. Next update: Who knows? Freya has spoken.**


	5. Chapter 5

Freya:

**Freya: Freya here. I'm a little lazy lately but I'm trying to make sure I do the same amount of pages as the last chapter or more. I don't want to be slacking tooooo much. Anywho, I don't own Naruto, if I did, Sasuke wouldn't be such a douche. And I'd ask him how he gets his hair cut….I wanna do it like that…(Except I'm blonde sigh)**

Chapter 5: Injuries between friends

Sakura gazed at Neji's face and couldn't believe her eyes. _He's blushing. Does a Hyuuga blush? Well, Hinata obviously does; so why should Neji-san be immune._ His silver eyes were having trouble looking away but he managed to avert his gaze. That was when she noticed his pink cheeks. He looked back at her though; as if noticing something.

_**Her face…she's doing it too. Maybe, just maybe, she has feelings for me as well?**_ That thought alone sparked hope for Neji. He meant to speak but his throat closed up on him. _**Why can't I talk?**_

"Neji-san, I-" Sakura couldn't finish her sentence. _God what am I doing? I'm straddling __the__ Hyuuga Neji. Why don't I just get off, make a joke, and laugh about my stupidity? He'd buy that right? This has to be a bad dream!_

Sakura used her hand to sit up so that she wasn't so close to his face. _See, already that's better. I might be able to play this off as…an accident? Yeah, right. But wait, it was an accident! God, nothing could make this more embarrassing!_

She tried lifting herself off him more but her hand slipped causing her to face plant into his chest. _I was wrong! It could get more embarrassing!_ Neji stiffened for a moment and held in a breath. _**I should help her off me; the only problem with that is, I can't seem to move…what's happening to me?**_

Sakura's face was now beet red and she quickly, with a single thrust, pushed her body off of his and fell back on her behind. _There, I did it. I'm off. Now what am I supposed to do?_

Neji sat up finally and let out a deep breath. _**I don't like how that felt…I felt like a weakling unable to move out of…what? Fear?**_ It didn't take long for him to calm his nerves and have his face return to the placid, composed expression he usually held.

"Uh, Sorry about that…" Sakura mumbled and quickly went into dopey-idiot mode, "I thought you were long gone already, heh!" _Yeah, right! If that were true I'd have just forgotten about the whole thing_. A little feeling in Sakura's gut told her she was hoping he'd be right there. She shook it away. _That's stupid_.

"No, it's quite fine. Are you alright?" he asked hinting at the small bump on her head. She felt it and held in a twinge. Sakura was going to have a headache tomorrow if not in an hour or so.

"Oh, yeah, I'm great," she grinned, "It might swell a little but my forehead is used to being big, heh heh…" Her laugh died down. Apparently he didn't think it was that funny. _Good job, Sakura. Make more of an idiot of yourself. _

Neji stood up quietly. Sakura thought he was going to walk away but he seemed to be contemplating something. After he'd come to a decision, about whatever it was, he extended a hand to her. Sakura stared at it dumbfounded, unsure of what she was supposed to do.

"Ahem!" he coughed and somewhat moved his hand a little closer. Neji didn't seem to want to look at her except out of the corner of his eye.

Finally something clicked in Sakura's mind and she took his hand. The Hyuuga helped Sakura to her feet and then quickly let go of her hand. He felt that weak feeling arise from earlier.

"Thanks," she said after letting go and dusting off her clothes.

"It was nothing; I was partially to blame in any event," he spoke, keeping his eyes averted from her. _**It seems when I look at her or feel her touch I get this sensation…this sensation of not knowing how to respond or move. It makes me feel weak.**_ Neji frowned. _**I do not like being weak…**_

Sakura noticed the frown. _Oh, great, now he's mad. I said I was sorry, didn't I?!_ Something about that lit a fire in her.

"What are you so mad for?" she questioned with a bit of agitation. _Look at me! Getting all flustered over this…this…jerk! I can't believe I thought he liked me, or that I liked him for that matter!_ Sakura controlled the urge to stomp her foot in anger. "I was going to listen to your problem so you could feel better but…!" This time she did stomp her foot and little cracks showed up under her heel.

Neji's attention shifted from her angry face to crevasses developing under her foot, back to her face again. _**This woman is always getting angry so quickly. I didn't even do anything! Is she not the one who collided into me? And she wants to know what's pestering me? It's HER!**_

"I doubt telling you what is bothering me will solve my problems, Haruno," he spat_**. If anything it may make them worse. How could I even think for a minute that she may like me? She's so…hot tempered!**_

A minute ago the two were getting along fine; as close to fine as one can get without being too familiar. And now, they were fighting like a cat and a dog. Again!

_That jerk!_

_**That woman!**_

"I'm going home!" shouted Sakura as she stomped off towards her home. _**Fine**_! Neji only stood there and watched her figure slowly disappear.

"How can she be that way?" he scoffed as he turned to head to his own home.

Neji took a step and heard the distinct sound of metal under his foot. Confused, he looked down and lifted his foot to reveal a set of keys. _**What is…Ah!**_ A thought struck Neji. _**The keys to her home. **_

He stooped down and picked up the key ring. _**She won't be able to get into her home without these, which means…**_he blinked. _**She has to come back.**_ A smug grin placed itself on his face. _**If she wants them back, she'll have to apologize. **_

"What the hell?!" Sakura exclaimed as she searched her pockets. _I don't get it! I had them when I left, didn't I? I never took them out of my pocket. I'm sure!_ Like a ton of bricks it hit her. _When I fell…did I…?_ She slapped her face.

_I'm such an idiot._ Sakura figured she had to go back or else have nowhere to sleep that night. _But what if…he's still there_? Sakura shook her head. 

"He wouldn't, what reason does he have to stay at the ramen shop?" she asked no one. Sakura slowly walked back with her head low.

She walked the streets alone and could hear the distinct sound of a cicada in the distance. _It's a little early for cicadas isn't it?_ Soon she was content listening to the lone cicada as she walked by her lonesome. Sakura arrived at the ramen shop and scanned the surrounding area.

"No shiny keys anywhere," she murmured to herself. Sakura looked at the area where she crashed into Neji. The dirt was disturbed but other than that she didn't see her keys. _Maybe I dropped them on the way home…?_

Sakura looked up to see Neji leaning against Ichiraku's wall. He was in classic form; back to the wall, arms crossed, eyes closed as if he were meditating. _Why didn't he leave?_ Another idea hit her. _I bet he took my keys. But why?_ Sakura resisted the urge to stomp her way over but did nothing to hide the fact that she was approaching him.

"Why, Haruno, what are you doing back here?" Neji smoothly iterated.

Sakura frowned. _He has my keys. No doubt_. Sakura let out a deep and irritated sigh. _Great. _

"Neji-san give me back my keys," she put it bluntly because she had no desire to draw out this childish fight. She only wanted to go home, drink a cup of oolong tea, go to sleep so she could forget about the fiascos of the day. _Yeah, right, like that'll ever happen. _

"Your keys? Did you lose them?" he asked, obviously feigning ignorance. Sakura was annoyed at first but now she was getting angry again. _Don't fall into whatever trap he's laying. He's mad because you yelled at him so be calm and collected and maybe he'll give them back._

"Yes, and you have them. Just give me back my keys please. I'm tired." Sakura showed it by running her fingers through her head of pink hair in impatience.

Neji opened his eyes but only looked forward and not at her. If he was thinking about something it didn't show. He retained a blank, uncaring face. Both ninjas remained there being still and quiet. One would not give in to the other. Sakura had to deal with people all the time at the hospital; there was no doubt she'd win this battle.

"You're angry," she stated simply.

Neji let the statement sink in. _**Like it wasn't quite obvious, Haruno.**_ "Of course I am."

"Why?" Sakura asked as she took a seat on the ground. Her legs were getting tired standing there waiting for Neji to give her the keys she desired. She propped her head up with her arm on her knee. _The sooner I resolve this the sooner I go home._

"Why?" Neji repeated. "Because you were angry first. I did nothing and you became mad at me. Just like a wo-" Neji cut his sentence short when Sakura gave him a glare. _Yeah, I dare him to finish what he was just saying. _

"Wait, I wasn't angry first. You were the one frowning to yourself after you helped me up. You were upset first," Sakura pointed out.

Neji thought back to after he picked her up. "That was because you-" Neji shut his mouth quickly. _**It was the feeling she gave me that made me frown. Not her. I can't tell her that though**_. Sakura sensed his reluctance to speak and furrowed her brow.

"Because I…what? I apologized after running into you so you had no reason to get pissed. What did I do?" Sakura stood up and approached Neji even closer. Neji was immediately uncomfortable. True she was still a foot or so away but the proximity was still too close for him.

"Well?" Sakura stared; now her arms were crossed. Her green glare was unsettling for Neji as now he couldn't think of an excuse and was being put on the spot.

Neji thrust out the keys he'd been holding. "Here, just take them. It's not important so don't ask again."

Sakura took the keys and Neji quickly strutted away. Once he was far enough away he let out a deep breath. _**I don't know what I was trying to prove. I feel I only made more a fool of myself than anything else.**_

"Hey wait!" was the far off but recognizable voice of Sakura.

Neji only felt the need to up his pace. _**I…I need to get away from her. She's the problem. It's all her fault these things are happening to me. I didn't start feeling so insecure until she started hanging about me. **_

"I said 'WAIT!'" she yelled as she started to catch up. _What am I doing?_

Neji started running. He ran around corners and alleys trying to lose her. _**If my father could see me now he'd be ashamed of me. Running from a woman.**_ He smirked when he thought about how much the gods must hate him and are consequently laughing at his predicament.

Sakura followed him and was very slowly catching up. It wasn't a problem of speed; she had stamina that would allow her to run the entirety of the village for hours. The problem was sight. He kept evading her eyes and it was giving her trouble finding him sometimes. _What's he running for? Wait, why am I chasing him?_

"Dammit Neji! Would you just hold on a second?!" she yelled; pretty sure he could hear her. Sakura saw him veer off into the woods. _Ah! I got him now._

Neji was caught between being angry and impressed. She was being persistent and it irked him a little. _**The trees will help me lose her.**_ Neji kicked off a few trees, deeper into the forest.

Sakura lost him again. She couldn't hear him moving either. _He's hiding_. Something about that made her laugh out loud without having control over it.

"He's hiding…from me!" Sakura snorted. _Hiding in a forest is probably the worst thing you can do when hiding from me._ Sakura had lost her foul mood and flexed her fingers before forming a fist. Her frown was replaced with a devilish grin. _**Uh oh**_.

She pounded it into the nearest tree and sent it splintering into a few others. They hit the ground with snaps and crashes. Sakura chuckled. She formed more chakra into her fist and hit another one, sending it flying into two others.

"You play a dangerous game Neji. Save yourself and come out. If not I'll just…" Sakura wrapped her arms around a trunk and lifted it out of the ground. She spun once before letting it go horizontally into a row of trees. "One by one, I'll just take away all your hiding places."

Neji, looking back on his decision to lose her in the forest, found that maybe he could have thought of a better plan. _**Give up? Never! A Hyuuga never gives up.**_ Neji took the chance while she was wailing on another tree to sprint from his hiding place.

She wasn't following him, which he decided meant he avoided her eyes. If only he were so lucky. It wasn't long until she was right behind him with a chakra infused fist about to punch him.

"Found you!" Sakura grinned as her hand reached out.

She grabbed the shoulder of his clothing in midair. As they were falling to the ground to land Neji struggled to free himself but Sakura had a grip that rivaled that of her teacher. Together they hit a nearby branch and then smashed into the ground. Sakura was fine; she only hit her arm on the branch and she was probably going to have a bruise on her thigh from the landing but all in all she'd survive. Neji on the other hand…

"Ha! I told you to wait but-Oh my god!" Sakura squealed. Neji was unconscious. _He most likely bumped his head or something when we hit the tree…or the ground. Oh god, please don't say I killed him!_ After laying him down on his back in the grass Sakura shook the brunette lightly by his shoulders. He wasn't responding. _Oh-_

"-fuck," Sakura gasped. _Ok don't panic, he's probably fine._ She checked his pulse; it was…_not good._ She then put her hand in front of his face. _I don't feel him breathing! Think! CPR is conducted with the ABC's. Airway. Breathing. Chest compression._

"Airway," Sakura reiterated as she made sure the airway was clear. She positioned herself so that she could perform the next two parts. _Breathing._ She used her fingers to pinch his nose and without a second thought lowered her mouth to his puffing a great deal of air into his lungs. Sakura felt his chest rise with the air she supplied and removed her mouth. _Still not breathing!_ She did it again but nothing. _Circulation._

"Dammit Neji, don't you dare die. I'll kick your ass." Sakura placed a hand on his chest, then the other. _Come on!_ She pressed down at timed intervals. _Still not breathing!_ Sakura checked his airway once more and prepared to do the second step again.

_Pinch. Down. Breathe. Wait. Deep breath. Breathe again._

Neji coughed in the middle of the second breath.

"Oh yes! Thank God. Neji! Hey Neji! Can you hear me?" Sakura asked him.

"Haruno?" Neji slowly uttered. _**What happened?**_ His vision was hazy and he couldn't make any clear shapes.

"Neji can you see? What day is it?" she asked to ascertain how lucid he was.

Neji had to think for a minute. _**I was…running. Running? Why? No, I remember…Haruno. Haruno was knocking down trees. She caught me. I was running from Haruno? The day…the day is…**_

"It's Sunday?" Neji meant to state it as a sentence but it came out as a question.

"Saturday, but close enough. Boy I thought you were a goner! Don't you do that again!" Sakura yelled. It made Neji's head swim. "Even though it was me that almost killed you. Probably. Maybe."

Neji wasn't hearing anything. Everything was getting dark again. _**She caught me**_. It was the last thought that went through his mind before he lost consciousness again. Sakura almost went into a panic again before she realized that he was breathing. _Oh…asleep._

"That's just perfect! Now what?!" Sakura stared down on his calm, serene face. _He's so much better when he isn't talking. _

She just let him lay there and fell backwards into the grass to look up at the sky. _What a day. Let's see. I started the whole 'cute' thing. Worried about it the whole freaking day. Talked to Lee about Neji. Ate noodles with Neji. Crashed into him and did something to piss him off. Lost my keys. _Sakura sat up and pulled the keys out her pocket and stared at them. _Got them back. Chased Neji and knocked down trees. Then knocked down Neji. Almost killed Neji and then saved him. My god…_

"Ah! I kissed him! No! No! It was CPR, not a kiss. Not a kiss. Not a kiss," Sakura repeated it in her mind. The scene replayed of her breathing air into his lungs. _His lips were warm. He's such a cold person I thought…No! Stop! Stop thinking about his lips. His soft, pale, tasty…NO! Sakura, bad! _

Sakura looked at the sleeping Neji. "You jerk! See what you've done!" she pouted.

She sat there for another hour before getting a little cold. _You'd think he would have woken up already._ Her hospital bedside manner was taking over_. Jeez_. Sakura reached over and checked his pulse again to make sure he was alright. _It's good. Steady. I'm still a little worried though that he hasn't woken up._ She shook his shoulder.

"Neji, get up. We're both going to catch a cold if you don't."

Neji's only response was a very low grumble. Sakura sighed. _I could take him home. I'm more than strong enough to carry the sleeping corpse._ That nagging-nurse feeling was bugging Sakura again. She wouldn't get any sleep if she didn't know he was ok. _It's not because I like him! It's because of my medical ninja impulses. _

"That's it. As worried as I am about carrying you, because of your injury, I'm taking you home with me. You can borrow my couch," she spoke to the sleeping Neji. There was no reply this time. She had him sit up though he was obviously still unconscious and somehow managed to get him on her back.

"One, two, three-up!" She lifted and almost stumbled. _Heavier than he looks. Must be all that muscle. _Sakura shook her head._ Stop thinking about his muscles…it's none of my business._

The whole way walking back Sakura pondered internally and out loud. She talked to Neji as if he could hear him.

"You're so troublesome. Hey, Shikamaru says that a lot too…heh. Anyway, you're such a bother. I don't even know why I'm helping you. You _stole_ my keys. Jerk." Sakura said a number of other things too but most were just as meaningless.

Sakura was going pretty steady now and was beginning to forget how heavy he was. She could feel his muscles against her back, not to mention the muscles in his legs that she was holding. A small blush came to her cheeks that she willed away. All that could be heard were Sakura's footsteps and Neji's light breathing. _At least he's not dead. That's a plus._

_**What's happening? Am I…I think I'm being carried**_. Neji didn't even attempt to open his eyes. _**I smell cherries.**_ It reminded him of something but he couldn't remember what it was at the moment. _**It's very comforting**_. He nuzzled his head into someone's shoulder and lost consciousness again.

Sakura didn't notice anything and eventually arrived to her home. After foraging through her pockets she grabbed her keys. When she found the one she needed Sakura pushed it into the lock and kicked open the door.

"Oh, right…the couch." Sakura suddenly remembered the state in which her home was at the moment. The sofa was covered in dirty clothes and medical scrolls. _I forgot. Well, that sucks. _

Sakura carefully shifted things on the floor aside with her feet and made her way to her small bedroom. It was pretty tidy; probably the only tidy place in the apartment. She plopped Neji onto her single-size bed. He didn't wake.

"I'm hungry. All that arguing and chasing and tree-bashing has me starved," she sighed. She grabbed a blanket and quickly placed it over him. Her house didn't have a working heater.

Sakura made her way to the kitchen and saw her noodles from earlier. She took a slurp but they were, as expected, cold from being left out. Sakura sneezed loudly and then laughed. _Great…I better not catch a cold._ With that thought she settled on the warm tea she wanted earlier.

As she was making it Sakura talked aloud. It was the easiest way to organize her thoughts.

"Where am I going to sleep tonight? Maybe I should just stay up until Neji wakes. Isn't this the second time I've injured the guy? More than that…When he wakes up, will he want some tea?" After voicing a few more random and unimportant questions Sakura decided to make another cup of tea.

She wandered back to her bedroom and saw that Neji hadn't moved. The pink haired girl then put his tea on the bedside table and sat down on the floor with her back against the bed. She sipped her tea and relished it as the warm drink slid down her throat. _Ah, now that's good._ Sakura looked down into her tea.

_What in the world am I doing? I don't want to get involved with a guy again. _Sakura could accept that she liked Neji to some extent but…_He's so much like Sasuke it's unnerving. Cold. Hard to show his emotions. Even if I did tell him that I like him he'd respond in nearly the same way Sasuke did. _

Sakura let out a deep sigh.

'If it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out. If it does, it does. That's all there really is to it…You can't know it's going to be bad unless you give it a shot.'

_Lee-kun's right. I'll just let it keep going in the direction its heading. Who knows? It could lead_ _somewhere nice._ Sakura finished off her tea and turned to check on Neji again. His pulse was normal but instead of letting go of his wrist she held it. _Warm. Not cold_. She squeezed it lightly before laying her head on the bed.

"I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes and then I'll clean up the living room so I can snooze on the couch," Sakura mumbled as she fell into the oblivion that is sleep.

_**I can smell them again.**_ Neji was coming to. _**Cherries. Am I outside?**_ He opened his milky white eyes to stare at an equally white ceiling. Slowly, using his right hand, he lifted himself up and half of the blanket covering him fell into his lap.

He simply stared at his curious surroundings. It was a very tiny room; the bed he was now sitting on was similarly small. It wasn't until he looked around at the floor that he noticed a pink head lying on the bed. It was connected to a woman leaning against the mattress, noticeably sleeping.

_**Haruno**_. Neji's eyes shifted to his other hand to spot hers on top of his. _**What the…?**_ Neji didn't move immediately. It wasn't because he didn't want to but she was holding onto his hand pretty firmly. Even if he did move he probably wouldn't be able to wrench his hand away.

Instead he stared down at her pink hair splayed against the white blanket. Sakura looked tired and she breathed slowly; it didn't look like she had the intention of falling asleep there because she was still wearing her clothes from the night before. Neji was able to piece together most of what happened.

He remembered running from Sakura and that she was catching up to him despite his attempt to lose her in the forest. _**She grabbed my shoulder and we fell**_. It was blank after that. _**How I came to arrive here…she must have carried me.**_ Embarrassment waved over Neji when he thought about anyone who might have seen him being carried by a girl_**. A Hyuuga getting a piggyback ride.**_

"Absurd!" he spat quietly. Sakura rustled a little but didn't let go of his hand. Neji remained rigid until he was sure she wasn't waking up; he then sighed.

"Haruno, you're so…" Neji lacked the word to describe his frustration with her. One moment she's nice to me, the next she's raging with anger, and then she's kind again. "Difficult, Haruno. That's what you are. Difficult."

He found himself fixated on her face. It was surprising to him that this was the first time he wasn't nervous being so close to her. _**It's because she's sleeping; she can't stare me down with those piercing eyes of hers**_. He drew his face closer to hers and his heart began to race.

_**She's so defenseless right now**_. Neji's eyes went from her eyelashes to her cheeks to her small lips. His breath caught in his throat when she mumbled something. He didn't catch what she said but saw her smile. A little blush tinted his face. _**If I k-kiss...ed…her…would she…even notice?**_ He should have been ashamed that such a thought went through his head but for some reason he wasn't.

Before he could act on his feelings something happened. Sakura's eyes opened. _**Oh no…**_

"Neji…" Sakura blinked. His face was awfully close to hers. Neji felt he was busted for sure. "You're awake! Well, that's good; I thought you were going to die on me." Neji realized that she suspected nothing; he quickly regained his composure with a cough and looked away.

"How long have I…" Neji didn't even finish his sentence.

"Oh, about, let's see…Eleven thirty to…its Seven fifteen now…So almost eight hours…right?" Sakura kept doing the math in her head to make sure she was right. _I can't remember falling asleep_. Sakura yawned, "yeah, almost eight hours."

"Uh, Haruno…could you…" Neji hesitated but remained collected.

"Hmm?"

"Your hand…" he mumbled. Sakura looked down and upon realizing that she was still holding his hand, let go in embarrassment. _Eek! He must think I'm some sort of…freak! Holding his hand while he was sleeping…While we were sleeping…_

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was worried. You weren't regaining consciousness after I…caught you. Heh. So…I brought you here to make sure you weren't…you know, dead. How do you feel?"

He told her that he felt fine. _**She was worried about me**_. She was relieved and she apologized again for nearly killing him. When he asked what happened though, she was tightlipped_. Like hell I'm going to tell him that I did CPR on him. We'll just leave it at 'I saved your life' even though it was almost 'I ended your life, for good'. _

"You want me to help you get home? I could carry you again if you're not feeling well," Sakura asked, concern filling her eyes. Neji almost couldn't look away. _**It's no big deal. She looks like that with anyone who's injured. I'm in no way…special to her…**_When Neji realized what she'd proposed he let out an outburst.

"I don't need you carrying me Haruno! I'm perfectly capable of traversing the village without your assistance."

As if to prove that statement he pulled the blanket off himself and attempted to stand. Attempted is a good word for what Neji did because, for some reason, as soon as he was on his feet a shooting pain ran up his leg; a pain he hadn't noticed until then, crippling him and made him fall back onto the bed. He winced but wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of knowing he was in tremendous pain. Neji would probably have yelled out but managed to turn it into a growl of anger. _**What's going on?**_

"Uh oh…" whispered Sakura. She moved over to gawk at his leg.

"What do you mean 'uh oh'? What's wrong?" he asked, hiding the panic in his mind.

"Well…" Sakura sighed.

Sakura explained that when she chased him down that they hit a tree and the ground; neither were smooth landings. She wouldn't be surprised if his leg were broken. She had thought that his leg felt strange when she was carrying him. Neji listened with a calm countenance that hid well his frustration, annoyance, and slight embarrassment. _**My training…Dammit all. I won't be able to train for…weeks! And…**_Neji imagined quietly that she touched his leg.

"I can fix it…sort of," she said.

"'Sort of'?" he repeated.

"I need medical supplies from the hospital and…" Sakura intently stared at him with a raised brow. He replied with a 'and what?' Sakura shook her head. "Nothing. It's not important." _I think I'll keep it a secret that mending a bone is extremely painful. If I'm lucky he'll agree to anesthesia. _

"C'mon," Sakura offered an arm. He glared at it. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm by force, ignoring his objections. Sakura placed the arm around her shoulder and helped lift him off of her bed. "Would you rather have me carry you again? In broad daylight?" she countered his protest.

Neji was found thinking longer than the question would have warranted. It would be beyond shameful if he'd accepted the piggyback but on the other hand…_**I would be conscious this time around so maybe it wouldn't be…unpleasant. **_

"N-No. This is…fine…I suppose," he frowned. Sakura nodded and put her other hand around his side so she could haul him out the door.

Slowly they trudged down the village streets; Sakura shouldering him the entire way. Neji found himself praying to whatever god might be listening. _**I beg of you, don't let anyone I know see us.**_ Because it was still early, most of the people who were out were either very old or too busy going to work to notice either of them. Neji was glad that maybe someone was listening after all.

"This isn't so bad huh?" Sakura told him. _I don't know if I'm talking to him or to myself. Carrying him doesn't feel like work or duty as much as it did earlier_. She could almost say she enjoyed having him so close. She sneezed, inevitably interrupting her thoughts.

The closer they got to the hospital the less Neji found himself caring if anyone saw them. He was still a little humiliated that he needed her help to walk but…_**I can smell cherries again, it must be her shampoo or perfume.**_ He recalled vaguely smelling it the night before and nuzzling into her shoulder. _**I wonder if she was aware I did that?**_

Sakura sneezed again. "Dammit. I think I'm catching a cold. I'll need to buy some oranges on the way home. Vitamin C is good for boosting your immune system," she rattled off medical facts. Sakura told him things about vitamins and minerals for a minute or two. That if he was good about what he ate it would be easier to repair his injury.

"Thank you Haruno," Neji interrupted her. "For…this."

Sakura turned her head a little to look at him. His face was pointed towards the ground as if watching the dirt and rocks in the road as they walked. Sakura smiled. _He almost seems shy now._

"Don't thank me yet. I still have to fix your busted leg. And there's something I haven't told you about the procedure yet." She stared ahead with determination in her eyes and a slight smirk on her face.

They arrived at the hospital without any disruptions. Not very many people happened to be on the street so they got there in record time for someone who couldn't walk. They came in the front and Sakura talked with the receptionist.

"I need to repair his leg right away. The longer we wait…well, you know right?" she spoke with the woman behind the counter. The woman nodded.

"Would you like me to get him a wheelchair? It'll be easier to transport him around," the woman inquired.

"No, I'll carry him," Sakura declined. Neji was a little glad that he could stay closer to her if only for a few more minutes. Even if it was a little degrading. _I'd feel better if I took him to the operating room. Not some stranger he doesn't even know._

They hobbled together to an operating room that wasn't in use. Sakura helped him to sit on the table and then sighed because of all the energy spent on just getting him there. _Oh boy, now here's the part I don't want to tell him about. Oh, well, better now than later._

"Okay, Neji. I told you that I can fix your leg right?" she asked; he nodded nonchalantly. "Well, there is only a small problem. You see, the break is probably not bad and I can use my chakra to repair the fracture or fractures as the case may be. The only thing is that it's going to be extremely painful."

"I can deal with pain Haruno. I am a Jounin after all," he stated blatantly. _**Who does she think I am? **_

"Ah, you say that pain isn't a problem but this will be worse than any cut, scrape, burn, or poison you've ever experienced. But! It just means that it will heal faster for it," Sakura stared seriously. _Please say yes to the anesthesia_. "You can be anesthetized but I need your permiss-"

"No. I don't need it," he cut her off. _**Anesthesia is for weaklings. In addition, I'd like to observe the operation. **_

Sakura sighed and shook her head. She said something along the lines of 'I knew it'. She rubbed her temple with her fingers on both sides. _I think I was expecting him to refuse. Dammit. I don't want him to feel the pain it's going to cause but I also don't want him to…Oh, fine! He'll just pass out from the pain halfway through the procedure anyway! _

"Fine, no anesthesia. The only other question is how well you want it repaired. I can repair it to the point where it'll only take a few days to fully heal. You'd be walking in less than four days and running in a week. Or I can just barely repair it and you'll have to stay off of it for a couple months…with a cast."

"What is the difference?" he asked though he was sure which one he'd choose. Hospitals did not suit him. _**I will not wait in a hospital bed forever.**_

"The second one is significantly less painful. I'd even let Naruto stay awake for that one. It still hurts but not nearly as bad as-"

"-the other one? I'd much rather have the first one, Haruno."

Sakura nodded. _I can't say I didn't see that coming. Boy, I'm going to be exhausted after this._ "You're a glutton for pain aren't you? If you cry I'm telling everyone…just so you know," she grinned. He didn't see the humor in it; as he often didn't.

After getting two assistants and setting up everything that'd be necessary for the operation, Sakura instructed Neji to lie down. He did so and Sakura pulled back her hair into a small ponytail and washed her hands. He stared for a moment when the back of her neck was exposed but his eyes shifted when she turned around.

"Alright Neji. I don't care how much pain you think you can tolerate, this is going to hurt. A lot. But I'm sure you'll do fine," she flashed a smile at him that weakened his heart for a moment but then a serious face replaced the uplifting smile he'd just received.

He watched as Sakura pulsed chakra into her hand over his injured leg. At first he didn't feel anything. Neji felt a slight tingling in his leg but nothing he would consider pain. _**Is this what she's talking about? It doesn't hurt in the slight-**_

"AGH!" Neji bit back a painful spasm. He gripped the sides of the slab.

"Sorry, Neji. The first part doesn't hurt because I'm just rearranging the bones so that they'll fit together. I'm repairing the bone now so I imagine it hurts and you're the one who wanted to be awake," She explained to him, never taking her eyes off of her work. Sweat was beading already on her forehead and they'd just started. _There are three fractures; we're going to be here a while._

Neji gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying out in pain. _It's only going to get worse. I'm sorry Neji. _For two hours the pain was nonstop. Neji had hoped that after experiencing the pain for a while that he'd be numb to it. He was wrong. It only seemed to increase as the process continued.

"There's only one fracture left Neji. I'm impressed you've remained conscious for so long. If anyone else came in here with this many fractures they'd have passed out halfway through the first one. But I'm afraid the last one is going to hurt the most."

He could have sworn she said 'I'm sorry' but at the moment it was hard to hear much of anything. He had a headache from clenching his teeth so much. In one second of weakness Neji wished he'd taken the anesthetic. The searing pain was all his mind could occupy itself with. _**When will it end? **_

_I can't believe he's still awake_. Sakura took deep steady breaths as she continued to pump chakra into his broken leg. _I haven't done a bone restoration like this in…well, a very long time. It's taxing, but I'm sure it's no where near as strenuous as what he's feeling. Right now his body would like nothing more than to shut down, but his will won't let him. Intense._

The next minute seemed like hours to both patient and doctor. Sakura's assistant wiped her brow; it'd been the twentieth time in the last hour it seemed. Once he could have sworn he saw a tear glide down Sakura's cheek. But he dismissed it because the throbbing would at times blind him and he wouldn't be able to see for minutes at a time. Neji had been gripping the sides of the table so long that he felt his hands wouldn't release even if he wanted them to. When Neji was about to lose control and scream, the pain suddenly stopped. _**Is it over?**_

Neji had only a little energy but he used it to look up a little. Sakura wiped her hand on her forehead and coughed.

"I have to say it Neji. You are just amazing. Not a single tear," she laughed, looking a little fatigued.

His head wasn't pounding with anything anymore. _**It is over**_. With that thought he felt more relaxed than he'd ever been. Darkness closed in all around him and this time he didn't fight anything; he let sleep claim him. His hands relaxed from their rigid state and he was no longer gritting his teeth. He was out like a light.

It was hours later when he woke to the sound of a scratching sound. When Neji opened his eyes he saw a nurse writing something down on a clipboard. She looked a little familiar. Neji's memory was refreshed when she looked up and saw that he was awake.

"Amazing. Record time," she commented as she continued to write.

"You," he said, "you were in the operating room with Haruno. One of the assistants," he stated.

She nodded her head and still wrote on the paper. Neji felt his leg and was surprised to find it didn't hurt at all. They had a soft cast and splint around it just in case but he could feel that it was repaired completely. _**Amazing. Haruno's got such skill as a medic**_. The assistant nurse pointed at his leg with her pen.

"Haruno-sempai did an amazing job with that. How long did she say until you'd be walking?" she asked.

"Four days," he replied.

She shook her head, tsk-tsking. "You'll be up much sooner than that. She poured her heart and soul into that. I hope you're grateful."

He looked down a little ashamed_**. I've never been grateful for anything in my life.**_ Neji remembered how hard she worked and how she was sweating bullets the entire time. _**She didn't have to even tell me about the quick method. Haruno could have simply made me heal over months, and in a less painful method.**_

"I'd like to thank her," rare words were coming from the Hyuuga. The assistant didn't seem to know that it was unusual for him to say because she shrugged her shoulders in indifference.

"You can't right now," she sighed.

"Why not?"

She seemed to hesitate; Neji didn't like how it looked. The woman looked nervously at the door as if to escape. His fierce look warned her that if she did, she'd regret it. Not then, but later; when he could walk freely. She padded across the linoleum floor as if to leave but he leaned forward fast enough to grab her arm. Neji's grip told her wasn't letting go anytime soon.

"Why can I not speak with Haruno?" he demanded, his glare getting even more piercing.

"B-Because…" she stuttered. He slightly shook her to show her his impatience. He again demanded to know why; if he would not tell her he'd go looking for her. "That wouldn't do you any good!"

"Then answer me! Why not?!" he yelled.

"Because she hasn't woken up yet!"

**Freya: Freya here. So…what'd you think about the cliffy? I bet it wasn't what you expected when you started reading at the very top. Sakura and Neji are slowly getting closer and they don't even know it. It's so…amazing I can't stop thinking about it. I've even started writing the next chapter because I'm so stoked. (NaruxHina will have to be on hold until this next chapter is done)**

**PS. I now know what it feels like to be you guys when I don't update for long periods of time. A few of my favorite stories haven't been updated in months and now I'm sad. I'll try to treat you guys better. Freya has spoken.**


	6. Chapter 6

Freya: So it's me, Freya again

**Freya: So it's me, Freya again. I don't wish to toot my own horn but…I REALLY like this chapter. I had so much fun writing it. Not only that but my cat sat on my lap the entire time keeping me glued to my computer chair so that I HAD to finished it. Zvarri! I love it.**

**I do not own the characters of Naruto. If I did I wouldn't have let Asuma die. And I'd steal Tobi's lollipop mask. It looks so tasty. ANYWHO! Enjoy the story. Freya has spoken. **

**BTW: Do ninja's have washing machines? Let's…assume they do…I mean they have those nifty walky-talky headset things…so why not washing machines…Freya has spoken.**

Chapter 6: Sleeping Beauty

Neji blinked in confusion. _**What? How is that…?**_

"What do you mean she hasn't woken up yet? How is that possible?" he inquired angrily. His grip was getting dangerously strong. The nurse answered as fast as she could in the hopes that he'd release her sooner.

"Haruno-Senpai used much more chakra than was necessary to heal your injury. If she'd only used the required amount she no doubt would have been fine. But…"

"But!" he insisted she continue, though he didn't grip her arm much tighter.

"We weren't aware that she was sick. Her immune system was compromised. Draining almost all of her chakra, on top of being sick, to heal your injury; It was certain she would die!"

Neji let go of her with a thrust, almost throwing her away from him. _**Haruno. Why would you do that? **_

"But by doing what she did, your leg will be perfect by this time tomorrow. There is a reason Tsunade-sama banned her from doing such a procedure. It's too dangerous for the doctor. The last time she used that technique…" the worried nurse trailed off and started again. "She passed out shortly after you did."

"Did she say anything before that?" he asked staring down at his bed sheets. _**Haruno, you are such an idiot. My leg is not as important as your life. How could you…?**_

The nurse shook her head.

Neji slammed a fist down into the mattress. _**What if she doesn't wake because of me?**_ He was struck with a sudden thought. _**Would they let me go see her? To hell if they won't let me. I'll force my way through all of them. I have to tell Haruno what an imbecile she is.**_

"Where can I find her?" he asked.

The nurse sighed and turned to leave. "I'll get you a wheelchair."

His intense stare lightened a little. Neji watched her leave the room and for a few moments was left to his thoughts. _**Such reckless actions. Does she act on impulse or logical thought?**_ He clenched his fist and hit the mattress again. _**Difficult Haruno. That's what you are. Difficult. **_

A different woman came back this time. Neji didn't recognize her as either of the assistants but when he saw that she had the wheelchair his glare was gone. He rejected her offer of help getting into the chair but she insisted that she push him to Sakura's room_**. Fine. I don't know how to navigate this contraption anyway.**_

"I heard about what happened," the young woman said sympathetically. "Sakura-san must really care about you."

Neji tried to ignore the girl's talking. She didn't seem to care that he wasn't engaging in a conversation with her. The young nurse decided to continue whether he was listening or not.

"I mean, why else would she strain herself so much doing a surgery procedure that she herself had vowed never to do again. After that one time…" she trailed off. It seemed like a topic that was best avoided. _**The nurse before her did that too**_. It was starting to tick Neji off but he didn't ask about it.

They arrived outside the door to Sakura's hospital room. Before the woman would open the door she got down eye-level with him. Neji was curious but remained stoic.

She smiled and spoke to him calmly, "Listen, you're not going to be the only one in there. Earlier she had a few guests but most of them have left by now. I think two are still here. I just thought you ought to know."

She was about to wheel him in but Neji stopped her. "I'll go in myself." The woman smiled and nodded her head. She pushed open the door and he managed to roll himself in a straight line.

Upon entering he encountered a face he knew well and one he did not. Naruto turned to see who entered and beamed like he did at everyone. The other was very gloomy looking, almost dark and emotionless. His short black hair reminded him of Uchiha Sasuke but otherwise there was little resemblance. The brooding looking one barely noticed Neji when he wheeled in.

"Neji! Did you come to check on Sakura-chan too?" the blonde fool asked as Neji made his way closer.

"Sort of," he responded. _**I more or less came to scold her when she wakes up.**_

"I heard Sakura-chan caught a cold and had to come to the hospital. I hope she gets better soon. Right, Sai?" Naruto elbowed his mysterious friend. Sai nodded. Neji hadn't noticed before but it looked like he was drawing a picture. Sai's eyes darted to Neji for a second causing him a brief moment of discomfort. _**I don't like his eyes**_. Then the artist gave what Neji could only assume was a forced smile. _**Or his smile. Seems fake.**_

"How long have you been here?" asked Neji. He saw Sai flip to the next page in his sketchbook and start scratching in it again.

"Hmmmmmm…" Naruto had to think.

"Two hours, Thirty-six minutes, forty-two seconds and counting…" Sai answered for Naruto. The blonde ninja nodded in agreement. It was then Naruto seemed to notice something.

"Hey, Neji what happened to your leg? Did you break it?" he asked.

_**Brilliant deduction you moron. I still can't believe I lost to him in the Chunin Exam**_. Neji nodded to Naruto's question.

"You know if Sakura-chan wasn't sick she could fix it for you. She's an Ace Medic Ninja! So when she gets better ask her to fix it for you. Okay?"

Neji nodded. "I'll do that."

With that Naruto said he had to leave and Neji was glad. It's not that Naruto was insufferable to talk with it's just that Neji would rather be alone than with company. Naruto waved goodbye and Sai gave a fake smile that vaguely reminded him of a Kitsune fox about to play a trick on some poor unsuspecting fool. When the door closed behind them he let out a deep sigh.

_**How exhausting**_. He looked at the door again. _**They weren't told the truth of why she's in bed. Otherwise I would have been on the receiving end of some malicious glares**_. He looked back at Sakura sleeping soundly in the bed.

"Haruno," is all he murmured as he got as close to the bed as he could. To Neji she looked perfectly healthy. She wasn't pale or sweating; Sakura seemed fine. He almost hesitated to reach out to wake her. Lightly he shook her shoulder. "Haruno, wake up."

She slept quietly, her breathing never changing. If Neji had ever felt worried for someone it was now. _**Haruno if you don't wake up it'll be my fault. **_

"Don't you dare saddle me with that responsibility," he whispered. Neji's hand crept onto hers and held it tight. He expected it to be clammy or cold because she was ill but it was warm. No one was in the room to see it but Neji smiled. It felt strange to him, to smile. He'd always known how to do that holier-than-thou smirk, but when it came to smiling it was a rare occasion and it always made him feel awkward.

He held her hand for hours not saying anything. Neji did eventually fall asleep; still holding her hand. When the nurse came in to check on Sakura she found them both there. The woman gave a light smile and instead of shooing him out decided to let him stay. If she'd gotten closer she would have seen the signs of tear marks down his face. And the strangest thing was, Neji wouldn't have cared even if she had noticed.

It was the next day when Neji woke to the sound of birds outside the hospital window. When he realized where he was he woke with a jolt and looked to see if Sakura were still asleep. The Hyuuga still had her hand and yes, she was still sleeping softly. Neji let out a depressed sigh for which he was relieved no one heard. _**Why won't you wake up Haruno?**_

The door to the room suddenly burst open to reveal a blonde female annoyance. Yamanaka Ino. In her hands she had a bouquet of flowers and she strolled in like she owned the room.

"Sakura! I brought you some flowers to help you feel-oh! Hello there Neji-san. Did you come to visit Sakura as well?" she asked. He nodded without a sound.

Ino put the flowers into the vase on the opposite bedside table. She fluffed them up after they were inside. Ino tried not to show that she could see him holding her hand.

"So she still hasn't woken up?" Ino asked. Neji shook his head. "Well, I'm not worried. She'll pull through, she always has. You know what this reminds me of?"

Neji didn't care to hear what anything reminded Ino of. He only wished she would just go. He would like to be there when Sakura did wake up and nobody else. He still needed to thank her for the work she did on his leg and then yell at her for her thoughtlessness. _**Which reminds me…**_Neji unwrapped the soft cloth and splint.

"It reminds me of that story with a princess. You know the one right? With the dwarves. Or was it fairies? It's the one where an evil spell is put on the princess or she gets poisoned by something and the only way she'll wake up is if she's kissed by her true love!" Ino sighed with a goofy look on her face. "If only fairy tales were real."

"Things are never that simple," Neji put it bluntly. _**In addition, you are combining two different stories.**_ She was surprised to hear him speak but shrugged it off. She said she still had to get back to the flower shop. She was working today and afterward she had a date. Ino said 'toodles' and was on her way.

_**God her voice is annoying**_. Neji tossed the remains of his cast into the nearby garbage can and walked around. _**It feels great. Like I never broke it.**_ He looked back across the room at the cause of his good fortune. _**If only fairy tales were real.**_

Instead of sitting back down in the wheelchair, Neji sat on the bed. The mattress shifted but nothing else. Sakura remained ever sleeping. This time he didn't hesitate to hold her hand.

"Haruno, you need to get up. I still need to get mad at you, but you have to be awake for it," he said bitterly. He looked into her face and found it as serene as the day before. _**If only a kiss could wake you…but then…**_Neji shook his head. _**You'd need your true love and that certainly isn't me. **_

He looked back again. _**I wish it could be me…ah! What am I thinking?! I can't be her knight in shining armor. She's so…aggravating and always changing her mood**_. He thought back to when she took good care of him even when he always had a foul disposition. _**I could be her knight once, right? **_

He leaned in close to her, still holding her hand. Neji lightly rubbed her soft hand on his cheek. _**It feels smooth and comforting**_. Neji had never kissed a girl before but it didn't matter. He lowered his lips to touch hers. _**If only it were that simple**_. He reluctantly removed his lips from hers and looked at her face. It didn't change, not even a bit. _**Not Prince Charming after all**_. He gave a half-hearted smile. _**At least I tried.**_

Sakura could smell flowers and something else. She couldn't quite place the scent but she knew she'd smelled it once before. It wasn't any perfume or shampoo or incense. It was the type of smell a person has when they shower with unscented soap. A natural smell_. It smells so familiar._ She slowly, millimeter by millimeter, opened her eyes. It was about midday.

"What a nap. How long have I been-" Sakura silenced herself. It took her seconds to notice that she was not alone in her bed. Someone was sleeping right next to her. She turned her head and found a pale but unmistakable face. _Neji!_

She sat up but he didn't seem to notice. Sakura looked around and gathered that she was still in the hospital. _Oh, right. After the procedure I lost consciousness. It seems I'm rested now though._ Sakura saw that he was holding her hand with both of his.

A nurse entered the room and was about to scream in happiness that she was awake but Sakura silenced her with the quick motion of putting a finger to her lips. She signaled for the woman to come closer. She did and the nurse couldn't contain her excitement.

She whispered, "Haruno-Senpai, when did you wake? How do you feel? Are you hungry?" Sakura silenced her again.

The pink ninja answered back, "Just now. Fine. And a little." Sakura looked back down at the sleeping Neji with a questioning glance.

"He's been in here since yesterday. You should have seen how angry he was with your assistant when he woke up. I'm sure he feared the worst. Been holding your hand almost the entire time, he has."

With this information Sakura blushed. _So much for thinking him to be selfish and uncaring._ Sakura asked about his leg and the nurse said it was fine. _It's good to know that the procedure worked. I wanted him to pass out from the pain so that he wouldn't see me drop to the floor. It worked out pretty well. After the operation he went right to sleep._ Sakura rolled her eyes. _And I promptly dropped._ Sakura suppressed a cough.

"Take these Senpai. They'll help your cold." Sakura took the pills and dry swallowed them. "Would you like me to bring you some food?"

Sakura told her to bring some for both of them in a bit. The woman left and she looked down on the dozing Neji. _He was worried about me because I overdid it. The extra chakra I put into it would have made it heal faster. I won't be the least bit surprised if he gives me a lecture._ Sakura lay back down next to him.

_I can see it now. 'Haruno! What were you thinking?' or 'Did you think you were being strong by doing that Haruno?' or even 'You could have died Haruno; how careless!' He'll just say mean things but…I know that he was worried. Why else would he sit here holding my hand?_

"You know, I wish for once, you'd stick to calling me Sakura. No –san's or -chan's. No Haruno's. Just Sakura…" she whispered. _Come to think of it…I can't remember when I started saying Neji instead of Neji-san…_

Sakura pulled Neji's hand and ran it across her cheek, closing her eyes, giving her a strange feeling of déjà vu. His hand felt nice and she gave it a small kiss; then left it so that it looked like he was holding her face. Neji's eyes opened to gaze on Sakura's face. _**My hand was moved and her's is on top of mine again. **_Sakura's bright green eyes opened.

"Hey, Neji."

"Haruno, you're…" Neji was stunned.

"Yeah, it seems Haruno Sakura lives to heal another da-"

Neji embraced her tightly. Sakura's eyes are a little wide but she makes no attempt to push him off of her. She does cough though.

"Ahem! It's nice to see you too Neji." When he realizes the openness of his gesture he quickly lets her go.

"I apologize…I don't know why I…" he let his sentence disappear as he sat up and she joined him.

"It's alright," she smiled. "I'm glad you were here when I woke up."

He stared at her for a moment and she quickly added on to her sentence.

"I need to make sure that your leg responded the way it was supposed to in the surgery."

Neji's face went from surprised to stoic to a glare. _Oh great here it comes. The inevitable argument_. Sakura braced herself for some yelling.

"Do you know how dangerous that was?!" he growled. "Why didn't you tell me? That it would drain you so much?"

Sakura flinched at his anger. _I have no intention of getting angry back. What did that fortune cookie say last week? Avoid senseless confrontations with others…_Sakura took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Not getting upset would be difficult for her.

"I didn't think it was that important. I mean, I owed you for hurting you in the first place. Why not give you the fastest and best treatment?" she explained.

"You mean treatment that you and the Hokage forbade?" he countered. Sakura flinched again. _How did he know about that? Damn those assistants…can't keep their damn mouths shut. They made it even worse._

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yes…I did promise I wouldn't do that particular procedure again but…I thought the Pros outweighed the Cons…this time."

Neji thought something was strange. Sakura usually kept her eyes locked on the person she was speaking to but now she seemed to be avoiding his glare. She was either lying about something or hiding something. _**I'd wager on both.**_

_There are so many things I can't tell him. The first time I did a similar procedure. The reason I threw all caution to the wind to heal his leg. Maybe I should just…let it all out. I'd like to tell him but…You know what? Fuck it. I'm tired of coming up with excuses for him._

"You know, I don't need to explain anything to you. You're not my mother or anything. I'm an adult; I can do whatever I want. If I really wanted to I could've let one of my assistants heal you instead!" she yelled, her rational thought flying out the window.

"Then why didn't you?" he argued. _**Why Haruno?**_

Sakura wasn't thinking. "Because you're my friend!"

Green eyes stared at blank white ones. The silence was thick in the air. It almost seemed like you could try to throw a shuriken through it but it'd get stuck in the air.

"I'm going now." Neji stood and started to walk towards the door. "You seem more than healthy now so I have no reason to stay…"

"Wait!" she coughed. _He's leaving…just like…_

Neji opened the door just as a nurse was about to come in. He walked past her and she looked confused as she entered Sakura's room. She brought both trays of food and set them down.

"What's wrong Haruno-senpai? Did you have an argument with that young man?" she asked.

"No, not really. He's always like that. He's not good with people is all." Sakura yawned and accepted the food. _Pancakes…mmm…_Sakura had a few bites but found she wasn't as hungry as she thought. The nurse sat on the bed to talk with her.

"That young man…"she started. Sakura lifted her head to pay attention. "He isn't the only one who's upset with you. The staff was worried about you. Please don't do such a reckless thing again."

"_Do you know how dangerous that was?!"_

Sakura nodded her head. "I won't. I'm sorry I troubled you all."

"_Why didn't you tell me?"_

Sakura was beginning to feel gloomy. _He really was worried…He just doesn't know how to show it other than to get angry._ After drinking the juice that came with her meal Sakura was briefed on her situation.

Neji marched out of the hospital. _**What's wrong with me? I didn't thank her; I only yelled at her. It's no wonder that no one approves of my attitude. **_Neji wandered through the streets of the village in a daze. _**At least she's alright now. **_

He drifted into the market that he had gone shopping in before. _**My first time buying groceries.**_ He remembered Sakura being smug about her market knowledge and how embarrassed he was to need her help. _**Looking back on it now, it doesn't seem like that much of an issue**_. Neji stared at the fruit stand for a while. His eyes were stuck on the oranges and other citrus fruits.

"_I think I'm catching a cold. I'll need to buy some oranges on the way home. Vitamin C is good for boosting your immune system."_

"Sir, can I help you?" asked the vendor. "Hey, you're the one who was here with your girlfriend the other day right? The one with the pink hair? You bought some apples, I think."

"Yes, we bought some apples…" Neji mumbled.

"What can I get you today? Anything in particular?" he asked.

Neji pointed at the oranges. "I'd like a couple of those…they're for a cold…"

"Oh, a friend of yours sick?" the merchant asked as he bagged three oranges. Neji nodded his head and paid the vendor. "I'm sure your friend will appreciate it. I hope they feel better."

Neji started walking back towards the hospital. _**I'll give her the oranges as an apology. And I still need to thank her.**_ Eventually he arrived at the hospital building as an assistant was leaving. He recognized her as the one he grabbed and more than likely bruised. Her face said she remembered him as well. She frowned and stopped near him.

"You again," she grimaced.

"Yes…about before, when I grabbed you…" he tried to explain. She brought up a hand to silence him. The nurse said it wasn't anything she hadn't experienced before. Being a nurse, she'd had her fair share of unhappy patients. "I'm sure you were just worried about her, so just forget about it."

"Haruno-"

She cut him off, "Haruno-senpai went home. She said she wasn't feeling as bad and could recover fine at her house. If you'll excuse me, I have to get home and clean for my in-laws."

The woman stormed off down the road and Neji took that as a sign that their conversation was over. _**Haruno is at home**_. Neji didn't have a second thought; he went straight for her house.

Sakura carried a bundle of scrolls to a corner of the room. _I'm such a messy person. I'll bet Naruto is more organized than me._ Sakura's face hung low. _That's pathetic_. She coughed.

"The only reason I caught a cold was because I waited too long to bring Neji here. And because I don't have a working heater it's freezing in here. The hallway is warmer than my room…how sad is that? I gave Neji the blanket so…yeah, all my fault," Sakura concluded.

_At least his leg is completely healed. He can walk again, possibly even run already. That's good right?_ The image of Neji walking away from her flashed into Sasuke walking away from her. _In any case, he didn't knock me out afterward and leave me on a cold park bench. A plus in my book._

Sakura put scrolls in drawers and grabbed the barbells. She rolled them under the couch and they fit perfectly. _When I want them again I'll know where they are and I won't trip all over them._ All of the trash from food wrappers and magazines were in a garbage bag.

"Now all that's left is to take out the garbage and do my laundry," she sighed. One garbage bag full of laundry, the other full of trash. A bag in each hand Sakura head to the street. After dumping off the garbage she went to the basement.

Sakura tossed the entire load into the washer with plenty of soap and started it. It hummed and swished. _I'll come back in an hour…_Sakura stepped back up the stairs but stopped when she reached the top. She bent down and watched from behind the beam.

"Neji," she mouthed without a sound. _What's he doing?_

The Hyuuga was standing outside her door poised to knock but he stopped just short of hitting the door. He unclenched his fist and clenched it again. Neji lowered his hand to his side and shook his head. Sakura saw that he had a bag in his other hand.

Sakura contemplated going up and saying something to him but she remained hidden behind the beam. Neji seemed to give up on the idea of knocking and hung the bag on her door handle. He may have mumbled something but Sakura wasn't near enough to hear. Neji then turned on his heel and left as quickly as possible. Once he was out the door Sakura went to inspect the bag.

"Oranges…" she whispered as she looked inside. A smile spread across her face and she chuckled. _I guess it's his way of hoping I'll get better soon. _

Neji practically ran to the Hyuuga Estate. He couldn't figure out if he was running because he was afraid of someone seeing him at her apartment or because he was ashamed of being afraid to knock on her door. _**It was easy to do the other day but right now…it seemed harder. **_

"Damn it all to hell," he murmured under his breath as he slammed the front door and stalked off to his room. He didn't even acknowledge his cousin in the kitchen with a certain blonde. They were making another boxed lunch for one of their 'outings'. Like it wasn't obvious what they were doing after they ate, in the woods, alone.

Neji arrived at his room and shut the door. He leaned against it and sighed a breath of relief. _**No annoying encounters. No annoying questions.**_ He stared at his impersonal room. It only had a bed, a clock, and a place for storing his clothes. There were no personal objects. No photographs. Nothing.

He walked to the bed and took a seat on it. It wasn't soft but neither was it uncomfortable. It had the feel of a mattress that was rarely slept upon. _**I am always taking on any mission the Hokage will give me so I don't often sleep here**_. Thinking back on Sakura's apartment he noticed she had a lot of things about the floor and furnishings of her house. When she helped him to the hospital is was hard not to notice the disarray her home was in. _**Somehow I'm not surprised at her surroundings. It seems to suit her personality well**_. Neji looked at his bare room again.

"One would think that no one lives here, wouldn't they?" he asked no one. _**Or someone without a soul**_. Then someone knocked at the door.

Neji grunted a response that they could enter. A pale face and long blue hair popped out from behind the door. _**What now?**_

"Neji-ni-san, I'm going out with Naruto for a picnic. You looked sort of down cousin, so I made you a lunch too. It's in the kitchen if you want it…" Hinata said quietly but remarkably without stuttering. Neji nodded to tell her that he understood and she was closing the door. Hinata stopped and then opened it again.

"Forget something?" Neji asked with a slight air of annoyance.

Hinata shook her head. "No, not me but-"

"Hey Neji!" Naruto broke into the room. Neji resisted the urge to grit his teeth. Now as not a Naruto time…_**not that there ever is a Naruto time**_…He stared unfazed at the intruding blonde.

"I saw that your leg is better so I guess Sakura-chan is alright now. She's pretty amazing isn't she?" he asked.

In a rare moment of vulnerability Neji let his face relax into a very small smile. "Yes, she is."

Naruto gawked for a moment unsure of what he heard and saw. Naruto pointed and looked back and forth between the cousins. He wasn't forming a coherent sentence and so Hinata grabbed her dumbstruck boyfriend by the arm and excused them both. Neji hadn't figured out what had Naruto in a twist and only stared blankly as the door shut again.

"A lunch in the kitchen…hmm."

Sakura was sitting on her couch eating the oranges that Neji brought for her. If she wasn't hungry earlier she definitely was now. She peeled the oranges and ate them one by one, remembering that he had gotten them for her so she should eat all of them. _Waste nothing, right? _

Sakura was getting pretty confident in how she felt about Neji_. I like him way more than the average friend. I put my life on the line and didn't even really think about it_. Sakura tossed the orange skins into the garbage can_. I think I can honestly say I like him. I wish he felt the same way, but that'd be asking a bit much._

"Sure, he was worried about me but not much more than any of my other friends," Sakura mused. "After all, the nurses said that a lot of people came to visit me. Naruto, Sai, Ino. I think they said that Shikamaru and Chouji even checked in. Kakashi-sensei too."

Sakura sat back down on her couch. She thought about how he was sleeping right next to her when she woke up.

"_I'm sure he feared the worst. Been holding your hand almost the entire time, he has."_

_He doesn't know how nice he is_. Sakura smiled with the hint of a blush on her face. _It was nice to know someone was there for me, even if they weren't sure when I'd be awake again_. There was a knock. It was sharp and to the point.

For some reason Sakura had chills. She wanted to think that maybe Neji finally got the courage to say hello to her but the dark feeling in her gut told her it wasn't so. Sakura debated not answering but the more she thought about it the less she felt that she shouldn't. She stood and walked to the door. It felt like it took an eternity to reach it. Slender fingers grabbed the handle and she opened it.

Sakura's eyes were wide with shock. "You…"

Her green eyes were targeted on the dark eyes of the individual in front of her. Someone that she did not expect to see ever again. Yet there he was standing in the entryway of her home.

"Hello, Sakura," he said quietly. There wasn't even a hint of emotion.

She shook her head. "That's not possible…You can't be here...!" Sakura backed away from the door. She stepped away from the person she was sure was either dead or going to die when the ANBU of the village found him.

He stood there; not moving. It almost seemed like he wasn't breathing. Brooding eyes and long black hair. A Konoha protector on his head, with a scratch through the leaf.

She whispered, "Uchiha…Sasuke…"

**Freya: Heyo! So it's me Freya again. Did you like the cliffy? I needed some conflict in the story and here he is in all his sexy-emo glory; Uchiha Sasuke. Whatcha think? I have to stop Neji from straddling the fence. Do I tell her? Do I not? He needs to get a little more incentive by driving some fear into him. A fear that Sakura may be taken from him. Not bad eh?**

**Not only that but this will have Sakura questioning her relationship too. Conflicting emotions all around. Freya could eat three bowls of rice! (If you know Ouran, you know what I mean…) **

**Same old same old with reviews. You know where to leave them and if you have suggestions you know where they go too. If you have a flame coming I can tell you where to put that too. Evil smirk Freya has spoken!**


	7. Chapter 7

Freya: Heyo, it's me Freya

**Freya: Heyo, it's me Freya. I just want everyone to know that I too hate Sasuke and the ONLY reason he's even in my story is because I want to strike some fear into both the main character's hearts. He will not be having a romantic relationship with Sakura. I REPEAT he is not there for Sakura to fall in love with. That's why Neji's here. Freya has spoken.**

**Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I don't own any of the Naruto characters. I wish I did. Then I could steal Akamaru from Kiba and hug him everyday. Freya has spoken again.**

**BTW: I'm not having Sasuke wear that ridiculous outfit he got from Orochimaru. The one with the purple rope thing around his waist. It's retarded and I won't have him wear it no matter how much I hate the guy. Freya has spoken yet again.**

Chapter 7: Jumping off the edge

Sakura was confused and petrified at the same time, her back against the wall. _I don't understand. Why is he here?_

"Can I come in?" he asked as he stepped over the threshold. Sakura couldn't tell what he was wearing; it was under a black traveling cloak of some kind. He pulled the hood off as he entered confirming that it was indeed Uchiha Sasuke.

She wasn't sure how to respond to her old teammate. Should she jump with joy because he is alive? Maybe she should tell the Hokage? _Would anyone else know that he was in the village? How is it that he got in undetected?_

"You look well Sakura…I guess the rumor was false," he said quietly as he looked around lazily.

"What…rumor…?" she managed to choke out. She expected that whenever she did see Sasuke again, if she ever saw him again, that she'd be happy to see him. _Why don't I feel happy to see him? I'm afraid for some reason._

"There's information everywhere Sakura. I can find out anything I want. There was rumor of sending to another village for a medic nin because Konoha's best had nearly died. I could only assume that it meant you…" his eyes scanned the room. It didn't feel like he was just looking at his surroundings but searching for anything that might become a problem later. "…but since you're here and not dying in a hospital bed, I guess it isn't true."

Sakura watched as her former colleague wandered slowly around her apartment, inspecting it. _Should I run? Something doesn't seem right. He doesn't feel like Sasuke at all._ She determined that even if she ran he would no doubt capture her. And then what? Would he kill her to make sure he was not discovered? It was a question Sakura wasn't eager to find the answer to.

"You live alone," he stated simply. Something in the statement alone sent shivers down her spine and not in a good way_. Sasuke's different. He's nothing like he used to be_. He turned to face her. If she could describe his eyes she would say they were dull and lifeless, like he was dead. "I'd think you'd have moved on by now. Maybe you've been waiting for me to come back? Is that it, Sakura?"

Sasuke began to approach her. Each step echoed in her tiny apartment. Sakura felt frozen out of fear. When he stopped, only a foot from her, she held her breath. _Would he kill me now?_ He reached out and placed a hand on her chin, lifting it to meet his eyes. _No, not his eyes! The Sharingan! _Sakura closed her eyes hoping it would save her.

"Why do you close your eyes Sakura? Haven't you been waiting for me to come back?" he asked quietly. Sasuke ran his other hand through the short soft locks her pink hair.

Years ago she could only dream of a situation like this. She wished with all her might that Sasuke would acknowledge how she felt about him. Sakura waited for a year. And then another. And slowly her devotion for him died with each day he was gone. Finally there was nothing left; at least she was sure there was nothing left. But now he was here again. And it wasn't a dream.

Sakura refused to open her eyes while he held her chin. "Let me go Sasuke," she whimpered. Sakura knew when she was outmatched. As strong as she was, she was no match against Sasuke. Sasuke who's been training with Orochimaru for years; learning more and more deadly ways to kill people. He couldn't possibly be same person he was when they were still Team 7; every nerve in her body told her that.

"Why should I? Didn't you always want this?" he whispered mockingly in her ear. His hand began to travel down from her hair to her shoulder. And even slower still it went down her arm until he reached the bottom of her red shirt; her breath hitched. Sasuke pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the wall. Her heart began to thump.

_Isn't this what I'd always wanted? For Sasuke to see me? For him to stop pretending I'm not here._ Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat_. No. This isn't what I asked for. This isn't how it was supposed to be. This…person…isn't Sasuke. Not the Sasuke I used to know._

Sasuke grinned with an intent that was anything but pure. It was the first sign of him showing any emotion at all and Sakura couldn't see it. He forced his hungry mouth down on hers and she couldn't fight back. Sakura would've opened her eyes but her impulse to keep them closed won in the end. Somehow, seeing what was happening would be worse than anything else.

Neji carried the lunch box his cousin made for him. He looked at the blue cloth it was wrapped in to see it covered in little yellow birds. _**Why couldn't she have just used a solid colored cloth? **_

His plan was to ask Sakura to eat a late lunch with him. They had eaten lunch together before on the Hokage tower many times so it shouldn't be an issue. _**And if she doesn't have anything to eat then I will share mine with her.**_ He could have been mistaken but the lunch he was carrying did seem heavier than usual. As if there was more food than would normally be put in there. _**Cousin…you know more than you let on, don't you?**_

He finally arrived at the apartment building. With a deep breath he entered the building and immediately sensed something was amiss. The oranges were no longer on the door handle but that did little to lift the dark feeling in his gut. _**Something is wrong.**_

Neji saw the door to her apartment was closed. He couldn't shake the dangerous feeling he had. Neji ignored the moral dilemmas of using his Byakugan to look into people's houses and activated his bloodline limit. What he saw behind her door was not what he expected.

He saw a man had Sakura against the wall, one of his hands up her shirt; his body pressed very close to her. He couldn't recognize him until the dark haired stranger stopped forcing his lips on hers. Neji's blood was boiling. _**Uchiha Sasuke! **_

Sakura seemed weak; like she wasn't resisting his advances. It seemed her face was flushed and her breath ragged. Neji's heart was sinking. He felt he'd lost his chance; the missing Nin had stolen her heart again. Sakura was lost to him now because he had been too cowardly to say anything. Too afraid to act on his feelings.

Neji's head sunk a little and a disappointed scowl replaced the shocked look on his face.

"No. Stop!" Sakura struggled to speak. Neji's head popped back up to see that she was trying to get out of the hold that Sasuke had her in. "Let me go!" she screamed. He wrapped a powerful hand around her neck, lifting her to the wall, threatening to choke her to keep her quiet.

Whatever had been holding him back let go. Neji banged on the entrance. The door gave in and swung open. "Haruno!"

"It looks like we have company…" Sasuke mused darkly.

"Neji. Run!" she whispered. Sakura's breathing was even more ragged now and it was then that Neji realized it was because of her poor health. He could see she was sweating and her face was feverish. It's no wonder she couldn't free herself.

"Let her go Uchiha," Neji glared. Sasuke stood there, unfazed by the Hyuuga's threat.

Sasuke put his mouth close to Sakura's neck and licked slowly from the base of her neck to lobe of her ear. Sakura squeezed out a tear and Neji seemed to growl. Sasuke looked back at the angry pearl eyes that were staring him down.

"Sure," he said with a shrug as he dropped her to the floor. Sakura coughed and took many deep breaths. Sasuke's face had returned to the lifeless eyes and dead stare. "I'll be back. You can be sure of that."

It was then that Sasuke ran for the window, effectively smashing it as he exited. Neji was caught between wanting to chase the missing Nin and staying behind. Sakura coughed and gasped for air. First he would make sure she wasn't hurt and then he'd hunt him down. He ran to Sakura's side as she tried sitting up.

"Haruno are you alright?" Neji asked as he knelt down.

Sakura looked at him with a forced smile. "Yeah, I'm f-fine. I w-was about t-t-to beat him to a p-pulp anyway. I'm s-stronger than I-" Her eyes started leaking tears in rivers. She couldn't hold back the sobs as she embraced Neji. "Neji, I thought…he was going to…"she hiccupped violently, ending her sentence.

Neji placed his arms around her shaking shoulders and let her cry on him. She had never been so scared in her life. What would have happened if Neji hadn't showed up? In her weakened state there was no way she could've defended herself. And Sasuke only seemed to have one thing on his mind; and he wasn't leaving without it.

"It's alright Haruno, he's gone. He left," he tried to reassure her. Neji could still feel her trembling in his arms. She held him tighter, afraid of letting go. He looked at the window. Even if he started after him, Neji wouldn't catch him now. _**Damn**_.

"But he said he would come back! He'll come back!" The panic in her voice was rising and she could feel her heart racing. _If he comes back…he'll rape me. I know it. It was in every word he said, in every movement that he made._ Sakura was starting to hyperventilate.

Neji assured her that he wouldn't come back. That she was safe. No one was going to hurt her. How would he know? He knew because he wasn't going to leave her there by herself. He was going to stay until she felt safe again.

"You will? You won't leave?" she whimpered into his clothes.

"I won't leave. I promise."

Neji helped her to her feet. Sakura said she felt disgusting; like he was still there, crawling on her skin. He told her to go clean up. It would help her calm down and feel better. But she was afraid. _What if he left while I was washing up? _

He could sense her reluctance. "I'll wait outside the door. If you need anything, tell me Haruno."

Sakura unwillingly agreed as she took a change of pajamas into her shower room_. Neji'll watch over me, won't he?_ He heard her start the water and he sat down by the door. Neji could hear the swish of water when she stepped into the tub and sat down.

The household was quiet for a long time. Sakura washed her face with the warm water and it was becoming obvious that the bath was calming her. _It was a great idea_. Her eyes closed halfway and she looked at her reflection in the water. It showed the face of a scared little girl, not a strong Konoha ninja; Sakura was a little disappointed in herself.

"Is everything alright Haruno?" Neji asked when he heard her sigh. _**She wouldn't drown herself, would she? Not over something like this?**_

"I'm fine. Thanks, Neji, for saving me. If you hadn't showed up…" she trailed off. Sakura didn't want to think about what Sasuke would have done to her. Then she had to wonder why he did show up just in the nick of time. "Why did you come?"

"I…" Neji was startled by her question. _**Answer her you twit!**_ "I was going to ask you to eat a boxed lunch with me. My cousin made it; but I think she put too much in it. I was going to share it…with…you."

Sakura blushed at the sudden awkward change in conversation. Neji suddenly remembered the lunch and saw that it was no longer with him. He peeked down the hall and saw that he'd dropped it in the hallway earlier. Neji didn't want to risk leaving Sakura alone in the bathroom so decided to wait before grabbing it.

_**I can't be so cowardly about this anymore. If I want to show Haruno I care for her then I must stop being so spineless when it comes to interacting with her. No more running away. **_

He listened as Sakura stepped out of the bath. Neji could hear the drips of water as they hit the ground one by one. She wrapped the towel around her and approached the door. Neji could hear the soft sound of her sitting down against the door; just the way he was sitting on the opposite side.

"Is there anything else I can do, Haruno?"

"Yes," she responded.

"What is it?" he asked.

Sakura sighed and rested her head against the door. "Could you stop saying 'Haruno'? We're good friends, you can call me Sakura. I feel uptight when you're so formal."

Neji coughed to cover up his embarrassment. Somehow she caught it through the door and smiled. _I'd like to say he's shy but it's not quite that. He's sweet._

"If that's what you wish…Sakura," he mumbled. He could feel his face getting a little warm. _**It's so informal, I feel a bit strange in saying it. Though, I must admit, it does feel nice. **_

She stood suddenly and dried herself off. After changing into comfortable pajamas she opened the door. Neji was still sitting and turned to look over his shoulder. She was wearing long pink pajama bottoms made of flannel and a fitted red cotton tank top. It was…_**cute. **_

Neji stood up and acted as if he hadn't been staring. "Do you feel better now?" Sakura nodded with a smile.

"So, how about that great lunch your cousin made?" she grinned.

Sasuke was far beyond the boundaries of the village now. He figured that he wasn't followed. He spat an insult at the one who interrupted his time with Sakura. He intended for it to end differently but he would get another chance.

"You don't know it Sakura, but you still desire me. Don't worry; we'll see each other again very soon. I guarantee it."

It didn't take long to eat the meal. Both ninjas were starving and Hinata's food hit the spot. Sakura couldn't help but be amazed at how flavorful everything was. Neji didn't really comment on it. _He eats this sort of food everyday so it's nothing new to him._ Sakura was a little jealous of Hinata's cooking finesse.

"Hinata's very good at making food. Amazing," Sakura complimented as she ate a little more.

"Yes, well, she has to be good at something. It seems to be the only thing she does nowadays," he noted as he drank some tea. _**All the 'picnics' she goes on with Uzumaki are helping her with only that one skill. Cooking. Among other things, I am sure.**_ Neji shook his thoughts of the training-unrelated things that his cousin was no doubt doing at that very moment.

There was only one vegetable left. It was a carrot cut into the shape of a flower. _Cute, it definitely says that a girl made this meal._ Both pairs of chopsticks went for it at the same time. Neji withdrew from the food.

"You should have it Haru-" Neji caught himself a little late. "-Sakura."

"What, and risk you calling me 'Chouji'? No way," she joked. "You eat it."

"I insist. It's yours."

"Because you insist I should just pig out? Then I insist that you eat it."

Neji realized that the argument was quickly going nowhere. He picked up the food with his chopsticks and Sakura chuckled at her self-proclaimed victory. Just as her mouth opened he put the carrot into her mouth.

"Hey!"

"Don't talk with food in your mouth Haru-, uh, Sakura. It's rude." Neji finished drinking his tea and smirked at her.

So she wouldn't choke, Sakura quickly chewed and swallowed it. "That was cheating!"

They chatted/argued for a good while, and then the sun began to set. Sakura noticed the dying sun and her unease was quickly settling in. _It's getting dark. I thought I was okay but…he did say that he would come back, didn't he?_

Sakura was looking tired and it showed. It was obvious that her nerves were shot and being a little sick was starting to wear her down as well. One would have to be an idiot not to notice. Neji saw her eyes dart to the window a few times and it was easy to guess what was on her mind. _**Uchiha Sasuke. Who knows when he will return? Tonight? Tomorrow? Maybe even months from now.**_

"Tired?" asked Neji. _**She needs rest. Today's been tough on her.**_

Sakura was honest. "Yes, but I'm afraid. He could still come back."

"Go to sleep and I'll stand watch," he decided. _**I'll protect her. **_"Tomorrow, we'll tell the Hokage about him, if the ANBU hasn't already found out and told her before us."

Sakura looked ready to protest but didn't. She nodded her head and walked to her room, her bare feet padding on the ground. Neji followed and was preparing to sit at her doorway when she grabbed his sleeve.

"Could you just…" she whispered. _I don't want to be alone._ Her eyes pleaded to him.

He quickly caught her meaning and followed her inside. Sakura got into the bed and slipped under the covers. Neji scanned the room but couldn't find a chair or anything he could sit on. _**The floor again**_. Neji's rear was going to be sore in the morning.

Neji placed a hand on the mattress to steady himself so he could sit but Sakura grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the bed.

"S-Sakura, what are you…?" he started.

"Stay here. Like when I was in the hospital," she whispered. He looked at her nervously but slowly nodded. _**If that's what she wants.**_

Sakura lay on her side facing him and placed her hands at her chest as if holding her heart. Slowly her eyes fluttered shut and she was breathing quietly. Neji watched the transformation from a worried girl to a content, sleeping Sakura. He simply watched her fall asleep, using his elbow to prop himself up.

He was going to reach for her hand so that he could hold it but hesitated. Neji didn't want to wake her up now that she'd finally fallen asleep. She needed her rest but…_**No, no running.**_ Instead of grasping her hand he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. She didn't seem to stir much. _**This is much better**_.

"Good night Sakura," he whispered as he planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

She snuggled in closer to him and placed her hands on his chest. The rhythm of his heartbeat was easily felt by her fingertips. He was holding her so gently; genuinely concerned for her safety. _How could I have ever thought he was anything like Sasuke?_

"Good night," she sighed back. "Neji."

**Freya: Freya here, so this chapter was a little short. So sue me. I'll bet you can't wait for them to wake up in the morning of the next chapter. You'll have to wait though because I haven't even thought about writing it yet. I'm hoping to make things pretty hot soon. We'll see. Freya has spoken.**

**Oh yeah, reviews, suggestions, flames; go ahead, do your worst. **

**Another thing, any thoughts on Hinata's sneaky approach to get Sakura and Neji to spend more time together? She's so devious…isn't she? Freya has spoken.**


	8. Chapter 8

Freya: Hey it's Freya, as if you didn't know

**Freya: Hey it's Freya, as if you didn't know. So, this chapter is a little cute with a bit of trouble and understanding mixed in. Oh and plenty of romance…can't forget that. Half of it is limey deliciousness. I can't update as often now because I'm working on a few costumes for Animazement at the end of May. So after this chapter you may have to wait a while because I'm making a kimono. Freya has spoken.**

**PS, Freya does not own Naruto or its characters. If she did she'd be the Hokage…and drink all the time. wOoT! Freya has spoken.**

Chapter 8: Pink rabbit keychain

Birds chirped and sunlight slowly filtered into the room. Two bodies were snuggled quite close under a small blanket on an equally small bed. Both were sleeping rather peacefully for what they'd been through the night before. Neji's protective arms were enveloped around the tired girl Sakura. Neither seemed like they'd be moving any time soon.

Sakura was in a strange place. It was dark and she couldn't see anything in any direction. It felt like someone had set of a permanent smoke bomb. She could smell the coppery scent of metal or was it…Sakura started running even though she couldn't see more than a foot in front of her. _Blood?!_

"Hello? Is anyone there?" she called out. The air was thick and it seemed her words weren't traveling very far. She was starting to panic when she tripped over something making her yelp.

Sakura looked around to her feet and there laid a body. She was afraid to look. What if it was someone she knew? One of her friends? She shuddered and forced her eyes to look at the corpse. Sakura gasped when she realized who she'd tripped over.

"But that's…" she stammered. _Me?_ Sakura could see that the bloodied corpse was none other than herself. She didn't notice until then but her corpse was not wearing much; she adorned only a ripped shirt and her ninja sandals. Sakura made herself look away.

"That was fun Sakura," said an impassive voice nearby. She immediately recognized it as his. It didn't take much for Sakura to figure out what had happened to the other her. He spoke again but this time with a hint of malevolence in his voice. "It's a shame we can't do it again sometime."

The dream Sakura was nothing but a hollow shell of her former self. Ravaged and then killed by the only person she believed she could love. A katana rammed through her still beating heart. Sasuke pulled out the sword and wiped off her blood. Miraculously, the dream her then coughed, blood sputtering from her parted lips. She wasn't quite dead yet.

"Don't go…Sasuke…kun…" she whispered and blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. She then trembled and stopped moving.

She just stared on as Sasuke walked away from the body with indifference. The dream Sakura was still reaching out for him even in death. _No._ Sakura shook her head. _Sasuke would never do that_; she was sure of it, wasn't she? She was feeling very alone and cold in the presence of darkness and treachery.

"I want to wake up now," Sakura whimpered. "Where's Neji?"

Sakura's eyes blinked open and she let out a sigh. _It was just a dream, I know, but…_a flash of her ravaged body appeared before her and the wicked grin Sasuke had left with. _I will never submit to him. Never. _

Sakura realized she couldn't see much in front of her except the white cloth of Neji's shirt and his bare collarbone. _Must resist urge to touch_. She could feel that his arms were holding her close and she smiled. _He actually stayed the entire night._

Neji shifted a little with a sigh and Sakura loosened his hold on her a little. She could look at his face without any trouble. After determining that he wasn't faking sleep she suppressed a giggle. _Some watchdog_.

She thought about her feelings toward him again. Regardless of how awkward things had been between them in the beginning she was starting to enjoy his company more and more. He was a nice guy, in his own twisted, selfish, spoiled way. Sakura brought a hand to his face and admired how he could still look so serious even when he's sleeping. By touching his face though she unintentionally woke him.

His eyelids slowly revealed silvery white eyes, the eyes that could see for miles and seemed to study everything in its path. _I always thought his eyes were eerie and sort of disturbing but when I really think about it they aren't all that bad. I disliked them because they seemed cold; detached. Now that I know more about Neji I know that it's not entirely true. _

Neji's eyes focused on Sakura's, which were only inches away. A bright emerald green one couldn't fail to notice. He was glad Sasuke hadn't returned in the night. He spent the whole evening holding her; their bodies so close that Neji could feel the heat from her legs touching his own. Her hand was still holding his face just shy of touching his ear.

"Good morning, Neji," she whispered still staring at his eyes; entranced. Her eyes moved to look at his lips when he answered her back.

"Good morning, Sa-" he didn't get the chance to finish her name before her hand moved behind his neck and pulled his face close to hers. It seemed like lightning was shooting through him, starting at where their lips were joined. What seemed to last minutes to Neji had only been two seconds. Sakura pulled away with an impish grin.

"Wh-wh-wh-" Neji failed to form even a single word. _**What the hell…was that…about? She kissed me. **_

"Oh, get over it. It was just a little morning kiss!" Sakura joked though secretly she was enjoying his shocked reaction. _He's so stunned he can't believe it_. She waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention. "Hey, you okay in there? Did I surprise you?"

"What was that for?" he asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

Sakura smiled. "It's a thank you, for staying here; like before. I appreciate it."

Neji had been more than comfortable that night while holding her close, listening to her breathe, feeling her heart beat. He felt there would be nothing else he'd rather do than to be close to her. Now felt a little different. It wasn't the same awkwardness as before.

He was nervous, but she couldn't possibly tell; he was hiding it too well. _**I took that chance though, didn't I? I wanted to be closer to her and now…I am. Literally**_. He was expecting her to sit up and go about her daily routine but she remained there, still lying in his arms. He silently wondered if he should attempt to move.

"What are you thinking, Neji?" she asked, seeing the confusion in his eyes. _I want to talk to him more, to get rid of this uncomfortable vibe he keeps giving off._ "Is it alright if I guess?"

Neji's smirk betrayed his nervousness. "Of course, but you'll never deduce correctly."

"That isn't how to you said it last time. You were more like one of us normal people!" she whined but smirked back. Sakura brought a finger to her puckered lips as she thought. _**Soft, pink lips…that I have kissed twice now**_. Neji was feeling a bit fortunate.

She rolled over so that her back was now facing his chest. He had an unobstructed view of her slender neck. Neji's arms only loosely held her but he had this indescribable urge to pull her against him. He managed to refrain from doing so.

"Hmm…" she hummed. Sakura's pink hair slid of her shoulder a little and Neji watched it intently. _**Her hair always seems to smell like cherries**_. He mutely wondered how it felt and the only way he was going to find out is if he touched her.

"Sakura," he tried getting her attention. He bit his bottom lip in nervousness.

"Hold on, I'm still thinking. I'll get it right too," she mumbled. I can't hold myself back much longer. Neji's arms tightened around her and pulled Sakura against his chiseled chest with a gasp. Sakura's stomach did a nervous flop. _Neji?_

"Neji?" Sakura echoed her thoughts. She could feel his skin in the crook of her neck and chills ran down her spine. He nuzzled in her cherry-scented pink hair and rested his forehead on her shoulder. _**It's soft…like silk**_.

_**I've never felt so…impulsive before**_. Sakura called to him again but he didn't answer. _**It feels strange to give up control of my emotions and let my body do something on its own. Strange but…not unsatisfying. **_

"Sakura," he finally replied with a hot breath on her shoulder. "Is it alright if I hold you like this, for a moment longer?"

She thought about it for a second. _I don't mind. In fact, I'd like it a lot_. She blushed. _I'm just amazed. Neji doesn't openly admit things like this so easily. He has such a tight reign on his emotions and feelings. How difficult is it for someone so detached from such interaction to finally accept that he's human as well?_

Sakura nodded her head and whispered, "y-yes."

She relaxed a little in his embrace and Neji lifted his head a bit to look at her shoulder. It was bare with the exception of the strap of her red tank top. Without much thought of the consequences he placed a soft kiss on her shoulder.

There was a feeling in Sakura's gut. It was similar to the premeditating sensation one gets before a thunderstorm. The person could tell one was coming and how bad it was going to be. They knew how badly it would flood and if there would be lightening just by seeing the clouds in the distance. The worst part about knowing that something like that is coming, is knowing there isn't any way it could be stopped. That was how Sakura was feeling now. That small kiss on her skin from the silver-eyed, usually stoic Hyuuga had started something; and she was certain it wasn't going to end at just that light feeling of his lips against her exposed shoulder. It was much different than the chaste kiss he placed on her forehead the night before. She could feel its meaning was very different.

Neji only intended to hold her. When he realized that he'd kissed her smooth skin it was too late. The impulses he couldn't seem to control anymore told him to do it again. They said that if he did it again, it would be even better…So he did. This time when he planted his lips against her skin it was moved a little closer to her neck. Neji could hear Sakura's breath catch and her body involuntarily shiver at the contact.

_What's happening_? Sakura's mind was a little frantic. She had expected something like this would happen but not so soon. Now she was unsure of how she should react_. Should I let him? Should I tell him 'no'? What do I do?_ Sakura's face was turning a nervous red.

_Maybe I should tell him to stop before this gets too carried away?_ Another warm, soft kiss was laid on the back of her neck making her gasp. It was too late. The storm was already there and Sakura wasn't sure she wanted to stop it.

_**She tastes like spring**_. Neji was becoming a little more bold and instead of just a simple kiss on the back of her neck he started to suck at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, feeling her soft hair on his cheek. Sakura uttered a nervous sigh, which only served to make the Hyuuga want to hear it again. _**It's one thing to hear her voice but…when she breathes like that…**_

"Sakura," he whispered her name against her neck and began slowly sucking his way up to her ear. Sakura's excited nervousness was mounting in her stomach. _Who knew doing this with him would be so exhilarating?_

Neji stopped just short of her ear and Sakura was beginning to think that maybe he was done until he sucked on her earlobe while his tongue tasted her. She let out a quiet moan that she hoped no one heard, to her dismay or maybe…to her joy, he did hear it. _**Yes, like that…**_He repeated his last action but this time did it painstakingly slow; his tongue slowly edged the outer rim of her ear. Sakura did all that she could not to make a sound but she knew she would lose the battle sooner or later. Not hearing what he wanted, Neji impatiently nipped her ear earning a loud gasp.

"N-Neji…" she whispered. _If he's not experienced in this sort of thing, he could have fooled me. My god, I want to jump him and that's saying a lot._

Wrenching herself from his hold Sakura turned to face him. Her face was a flustered pink and her breathing had taken on a different pace. She was barely panting; the emotions within told a different story. Neji looked into her bright green eyes that were now smoldering with something else. Something he didn't recognize but would like to remedy. _**What is it in her eyes? I've never seen her look that way before**_. Neji would have liked to say she looked angry but that wasn't quite it.

Her lips quivered as she spoke. "Neji, I…" _I should say 'we shouldn't do this' but, god, I want to kiss him so bad. I want to run my tongue over his and fist his brown hair as I pull him in deeper into my hold. I want to hear him sigh and groan at my touch instead._ The hormones were clouding her judgment.

Neji found that her eyes had taken on a darker tone; not in color but in purpose. Whatever she was thinking was making his heart race. He had only a vague idea of what she was intending to do. Suddenly her hand shot out to grab his shirt and tug him close. It's now that his face takes on a slightly feverish look as well. _**I choose now to become embarrassed…?**_

Sakura saw the change in his demeanor and it only made her intentions more fierce. She forced her lips onto his while still clutching his shirt. _There isn't any way he'll be able to pull away from me._ Not that he wanted to. At this new contact he brought his pale hand to Sakura's shoulder and gripped it firmly on her skin. _Enough of playing nice_. Sakura thrust her tongue past his lips to his mouth and got an unexpected reaction.

Electricity was surging through him; similar to the sensation before but much more invigorating. Neji hadn't expected her to be so forceful. Though if he really thought about all he knew of Sakura, it should have been anticipated. She wasn't one to let someone else take control all the time. Then again, neither was Neji. If there was one thing Neji liked it was having control; over any situation. So it goes without saying that when she took the opportunity to enter his mouth with her swirling tongue he had to change who was in control.

"I don't think so Sakura," he managed to mumble right before he was suddenly over her, pinning one of her hands down while the other still had a strong hold on his shirt. Neji's arm was supporting him as he kissed her tempting lips; eagerly. _**Amazing. Simply amazing.**_

Sakura could feel his brown locks on her cheek and neck; not to mention his tongue was trying frantically to dominate her own. She let out a suppressed moan against his lips and it only seemed to excite him further. He released his hold on her hand and Neji played with the ends of her pink hair, relishing the feel of silk through his fingers.

With the liberation of her hand Sakura let go of his white shirt. She then brought both hands up to run through his long dark hair. Sensuously massaging his scalp as she tried to make the kisses longer, deeper. Sakura succeeded and Neji slowed down; he slowly sucked on her lower lip and continued to play with her hair.

Not much conversation was exchanged during this time. Sakura didn't see Neji as the talkative type before this occurrence and couldn't see that changing any time soon. Consequently, Neji was a little surprised that she wasn't speaking throughout their…interaction. He had half expected her to push him away or refuse his advances as she did when Sasuke had tried to take advantage of her.

"Sakura," he whispered against her lips. It felt like a spell, though he couldn't decide who was being bewitched; Neji or Sakura. Whichever it was, Neji was clearly enjoying himself; that much Sakura knew. _And the feeling is mutual…_

Sakura could feel the warmth from his legs on the side of her own and it only proved to provoke her hormones yet again. Without warning she started kissing Neji again, impatiently propelling her tongue into his mouth and her fingers tightening their hold on his hair. Neji had no idea how to respond except to match her speed, if he could.

Sakura wanted something. _I want him to sigh, to moan, anything that will show how vulnerable he is, just as I am. Me moaning excites him; that much is obvious. I can't imagine what him groaning would do to me._ Sakura let go of Neji's hair and roamed slowly down his neck, trying to find a weakness. Her fingers found his exposed collarbone and Neji's breath hitched, if only for a second. She wanted to grin but doing so would give away what she'd just found.

With a sudden push Sakura had them roll again but it led to them hitting the floor. Luckily, they landed as she had hoped and she was straddled over him. It was then that Sakura let her evil smirk slip.

"This feels familiar," Sakura whispered alluringly. _Though I think I was a bit further down on his body before._

Neji was about to attempt to roll them again but Sakura had thought about it beforehand. With both hands she grabbed his own and held them down. Neji almost smirked. _**Like she can hold me down, honestly.**_ His smirk suddenly disappeared when he realized that he couldn't move them. After looking at her hands he understood why.

Sakura had infused her hands with chakra similar to her punches and they were almost glowing. Neji qickly found that he wasn't going to get up unless she let him_. I'm not letting him up until I hear it._ She leaned down slowly to gaze upon his features, her hair surrounding her face and hanging low. His eyes watched her lips as she licked them slowly, almost hungrily. It made Neji's heart thump and the blood in his veins pump mercilessly. _**She's like…a vixen**_.

She started with a kiss on his forehead and then down to his lips. Neji was starting to relax when she began to taste his lips and tongue again. But he got nervous again when she left his lips and began to kiss down his neck. She found an artery and ran her tongue on it before deciding to leave a hickey there. Sakura could have sworn he almost made a noise.

_**What is she doing to me?**_ Neji's thoughts were clouded with lust and hormones. He swallowed the lump in his throat as his face proceeded to turn a tinted pink. Neji could feel Sakura's lips going even lower and when he felt her warm, wet lips touch his collarbone he couldn't take it anymore.

"S-Sakura," he managed an out-of-breath moan. He wanted to hate himself for feeling so weak but he was enjoying her slow ministrations too much to think about his pride. Sakura was winding him up and he was letting her. She continued licking and sucking that space of skin when Neji uttered another sigh. _**I can't resist her anymore.**_

She had gotten what she wanted, that breathy, needy sigh and so Sakura let go of him. With his range of movement back Sakura expected him to flip them again. _He likes being on top…_That thought sent a string of mental images through her mind; all being carnal in nature. As she had expected Neji had them switch again on the hard floor.

They stared at each other with lustful eyes, shrouded with desire. Neji panted a little while Sakura's chest heaved up and down with labored breathing. Looking down on her Neji couldn't help but wonder how it came to this. Looking down on her he couldn't keep his eyes from straying to her chest. _**What's happening to me?**_

"What's happening to us, Sakura?" he panted.

"I don't know," Sakura took heavy breaths between words. _Whatever it is…it's good. That much anyone can see. _

Neji was reaching down touch her face when there was a knock at the door. Both ninjas were frozen but for different reasons. A look of panic came over Sakura's face as she thought about who it might be. Neji could already feel that it wasn't Sasuke but before he could activate his Byakugan the door busts open wide.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! I have really big news!" yells a blonde annoyance. _**Perfect. Naruto would barge into a woman's home without permission.**_ Thankfully the door to Sakura's room was closed but she was sure it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Neji let her up and she ran to her bedroom door and yelled through it.

"Naruto! I'll kill you if you come in unannounced again! Last time I was barely dressed!" she screamed in anger. _Why is he here? Why now of all times?!_ Neji's image of Naruto walking in on her naked slightly infuriated him but at the same time sparked a bit of jealousy. _**Why should I be jealous? They are teammates after all…It would make sense that they are close.**_

"But Sakura-chan! You won't believe what Granny-Tsunade told us!" Naruto whined. When he mentioned 'us' both ninja's felt even more uneasy. _There are more of them?!_ Sakura looked at Neji with fearful eyes.

"Go away!" Sakura yelled at him and then whispered to Neji. "Who the hell is out in my living room?"

Neji nodded and checked for her. Looking through the door and into the main room he saw four people. Her current teammates, Yamanaka Ino, and his cousin. _**Oh no**_. Neji was not happy and his frown showed it. Sakura took it as a bad sign.

"Your teammates, Yamanaka, and…" Neji gritted his teeth before speaking again. "…my cousin."

What happened next was all very fast. Naruto started to approach the door. Sakura didn't have a lock so she had her back against it, thinking frantically about what to do. If she exited now everyone would no doubt see the company she was keeping. _Ino would make it so the people in Suna knew._

At the same time Hinata looked over at their table and her eyes widened. Solid blue with little yellow birds. She quickly grabbed Naruto's arm and shook her head. Sai was sketching in the doorway and Ino simply looked at the home amazed that it wasn't a total mess like the last time she'd visited.

"What's wrong, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

"N-Nothing!" she said too fast. It was great that Naruto couldn't pick up on suspicious cues like that. "We should l-let Sakura-san…get d-dressed and such! S-Sakura-san! We'll wait outside f-for you, alright?"

Hinata pulled Naruto by his arm while Ino and Sai followed. Ino took one more questioning glance back into the room before closing the front door behind her. Sakura slid down to the floor with a plop and let out a huge breath.

"My god! That was close!" Sakura nearly yelled. _I don't know what I would have done if they came in here. How would I have explained it?_ Neji kneeled down next to her.

"How am I supposed to leave?" he asked. _**Not that I want to leave. I'd much rather stay. **_

"Don't worry, after I change, I'll go and start walking with them. After we're far enough away from the apartment you can leave without them spotting you," Sakura explained. She opened the door and looked about the complex. Neji watched as she grabbed something out of the kitchen and came back to her room. Sakura grabbed his hand and placed something in it. _**A key?**_

"This is a copy of the apartment key. I had it made for Ino when I'm away on missions so she can take care of my plants. You can have it," Sakura smiled. _That way he can come and go as he likes._ "After you go, just lock it behind you. Alright?"

Neji found himself nodding as she stumbled around her room and searched through her dresser for clothes. He stared at the key for a moment and the ring it was on. There was a tiny keychain of a pink rabbit that Neji felt was a little undignified for him to be carrying around.

"Then keep it in your pocket. You don't have to let everyone see it. Jeez," she laughed as she grabbed a bra from an open drawer. Neji's eyes caught on it for a second and he looked away. He didn't realize she was just standing there until Sakura started to tap her foot.

"What?" he asked.

"You need to, uh, leave the room for a minute…" Sakura looked at the wall, a little embarrassed. Neji didn't catch her meaning until she looked at the clothes she was holding and then back at the wall.

Neji excused himself without looking like a total fool and closed the door behind him. He wandered about the living room and saw the remains of their lunch the day before. _**Hinata saw the cloth it was wrapped it and deduced quickly that I had been here. Chances are she also noticed that I didn't come home last night. Putting both pieces of information together led to her assumption that I was in that room with Sakura. She didn't even need her Byakugan to figure it out. Luckily, Naruto, Ino, and that Sai person, were a little slow to notice. **_

Neji looked at the missing window in the living room. _**How the hell did they miss that?**_ After eating lunch Sakura and Neji had removed what was left of the window Sasuke had destroyed. Even still, it was obvious that there was no longer a window in the frame. _**Gods, we're surrounded by nimrods!**_ Neji was packing up his lunch box when Sakura came out of her room finally.

She wore her usual red top with black shorts, along with the pink skirt that went around it. Her red hitai-ate used as a headband. Sakura caught him staring and smirked.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Hn," was his response. Sakura gave him a playful frown.

"That was your chance to compliment me, you dork," Sakura giggled. _He's still uncomfortable; hilarious considering what we were almost caught doing._ She was getting ready to leave when she saw something on his shoulder. Sakura pulled off a pink hair before laughing out loud.

"Imagine if someone else had found that before me. Then everyone would know you were here. I mean, there aren't many people in the village with hair like mine," she chatted. Neji saw her flick it out of her fingers and wink at him as she closed the door behind her.

Neji heard her tell him not to forget to lock it when he left. He sighed and took a seat on her couch. It was more comfortable than he wanted to admit. _**Now all I have to do is wait a bit.**_ Neji stared down at his hand with the key in it, smirking at the pink rabbit.

"I'm here, sorry it took so long," Sakura spoke as she left the building. Ino looked at her with annoyance as everyone else looked at her with relief. Sai merely handed her a fake smile.

"H-How's your cold, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked nervously as they walked.

"I'm feeling fine, thanks for asking Hinata-san," Sakura smiled. _She's so thoughtful and if it wasn't for her, they would have come barging in to see Neji and me more than a little breathless in my room. She's got amazing timing. _

"So you haven't heard yet?" Ino asked. Sakura shook her head. Ino let out an aggravated sigh and rolled her eyes. "The ANBU reported that Sasuke-kun was seen near the village!"

Sakura decided acting surprised would be a good idea. "What? Really?!"

"Yeah, but they said it looked like he was leaving the village. He was heading North but they lost him after chasing him for miles," Naruto continued. "Makes you wonder if he was actually here for something. Like secret scrolls or something."

"Huh, amazing…" Sakura mused. _He was here for something alright_. She suppressed a shiver. _Thankfully, Neji was there to interrupt him._

Naruto went off on a rant about how if he'd known about Sasuke he would have caught him. After all, it was Naruto's promise of a lifetime to bring Sasuke back for Sakura. _Thanks Naruto, but I'm not so sure I want you to carry out that promise anymore._

After walking for a while longer, Naruto made the suggestion to go out to eat. He even offered to treat everyone. Ino accepted as did Hinata. Sai said he'd pay for himself, it was the one thing he'd said at all in their conversations. With so many friends around Sakura felt safe enough to accept the offer as well.

Naruto took a seat and Sakura took a seat next to him. Hinata made Naruto pout when she decided to sit next to Sakura as well. Sai took his seat next to Naruto and Ino took hers next to him. After ordering what they wanted they continued to chat with each other about meaningless things.

Hinata leaned over and whispered to Sakura. "Did you and Neji-ni-san enjoy the lunch I made?" Sakura suddenly looked nervous. She looked at Naruto next to her to see that he was still talking with Sai about painting a portrait of him.

"It was d-delicious," Sakura admitted. _How does she KNOW?_

"I saw the lunchbox on your table, along with the carrying cloth," Hinata answered as if she'd read her mind. Sakura then nodded. _Oh, well that makes sense…wait._

"Does this mean you know about…?" Sakura was feeling embarrassed suddenly. Hinata brought a hand to her lips and giggled. _She does know. Hinata-san knew that Neji was there. That explains why she got everyone to leave the apartment._ Sakura sighed, "Thanks."

"Don't worry. I don't think you and my cousin want to become this week's gossip thanks to Ino's mouth and Naruto's intrusiveness. I'm sure neither of you wants something like that public right now," Hinata smiled. "You're not ready yet, that's all."

The way Hinata talked about it, it seemed like she was sure that Sakura and Neji were going to tell everyone eventually. They had a long way to go from her perspective. Sakura giggled and the blue-haired ninja just laughed. _Thanks Hinata_.

Their orders came up and everyone ate. Sakura was starving. She felt like she hadn't eaten in days. _This is a good sign. My cold is getting better_. Sakura was then struck with a horrible thought. _What if I gave Neji my cold while we were kissing? I better stock up on oranges just in case._ Imagining Neji with a cold made her laugh.

The meal was done and Ino decided she had someplace to be. They all stood outside the shop and with a wave she was about to leave when something caught her attention, making her stop in her tracks. Ino looked at Sakura with a squinting stare, as if she was unsure of what she was seeing.

"Sakura!" Ino cried out while closing the distance between them.

Sakura stood there, frozen. Ino had a hand on the collar of the medic nin's shirt. She pulled at it and pointed with a shaky finger.

"You have…a hickey!" Ino exclaimed while staring at the red mark on her neck.

Sakura could feel the world collapsing down on her. All eyes stared at her as she stuttered, trying to explain. _But how do you explain away a hickey?_

**Freya: So it's me, Freya. This one ended on kind of a boring note, didn't it? Sorry, bout that but I'm a little busy at the moment and I need to use all the time available to me for my kimono. I'll get back to this when it's done. So…go read one of my other stories to keep you occupied. Lord knows they could use some reviews. FREYA HAS SPOKEN.**

**(Curious question, have you guys ever tried explaining away a hickey? It's harder than it looks…Freya knows from experience…Freya has spoken!)**


	9. Chapter 9

Freya:

**Freya: So…yay…I'm back from animazement…And I am so tired. But because I love you all I decided to finish up this chapter. It was half completed before I left but I've finally completed this chapter. Woo hoo. **

**Freya does not own Naruto or it's characters. Heh heh heh…If Freya did she'd chain them all up and force people to pay to see them…Extra to touch them…And I'd get to touch them whenever I want…Fu fu fu! Freya has spoken.**

**Oh, before I forget. I'm writing a little story about Sasuke but until I finish either my NejiSaku story or my NaruHina one I won't be posting it. I don't like it when I have too many stories to update at one time…so there. Freya has spoken.**

Chapter 9 Temptation and the Warning

Neji checked the ticking clock on the wall of Sakura's apartment. It had been twenty minutes but he still hadn't made a move to leave the apartment yet. Neji was still thinking about how easily the key was given to him. She trusted him. Trust.

It was a familiar feeling he'd gotten from his teammates but not from anyone else, much less a woman. It was one thing to trust someone on the battlefield or on a mission. Your comrade had your back and you had theirs. The trust was different between Sakura and him.

"Fool," he said. _**What if I turned out to be exactly like Sasuke? She's too trusting. If she isn't careful it will get her into serious trouble**_. Neji looked down at the key again with judging eyes. _**But…**_ He remembered tasting her lips and the feeling of a warm body under him. Neji wasn't about to say he was angry about it. He would keep the key.

His eyes wandered around the apartment. The living room he was in was nothing special. It had the comfortable couch he was sitting on, the low coffee table that they ate their lunch on was old but still sturdy, and there were a few potted plants near the destroyed window. Neji recognized all of them as medicinal plants. A thought about how her green chakra healed his temple stirred his mind.

Neji stood and inspected the home further. _**How can she live in such a small home?**_ Neji, being in such a large mansion all his life, didn't understand her cramped lifestyle. The kitchen was a mess. There were dirty dishes that needed cleaning and the floor could use a good mopping. The bathroom on the other hand, although unspeakably tiny, was very clean. The dripping sounds as she exited the tub still reverberated in his head.

He took a look into her bedroom again. It was tidy but Neji still felt like it was restricted, like there was too much furniture in one room. _**Not enough room to maneuver around.**_ Her nightstand had a picture and Neji took this opportunity to look at it. He grimaced at it. _**Team seven. **_

Neji sat on the bed for a moment and rested his face in his hands. After a deep sigh he fell back on to it. He could smell Sakura's cherry-scented shampoo and his heart quickened. Her hair had been softer than some of the Clan's finest kimonos and her neck tasted like...Neji quickly sat up, his stomach feeling a little queasy.

"What's the matter with me?" he asked no one. _**I can't stop thinking about what we were doing. Right here, in this small bed.**_ What if they hadn't been interrupted? Before he could answer the question he shook his head. _**Now's not the time to be thinking about these things.**_

Neji checked the alarm clock on the stand and decided that thirty minutes was plenty of time. After picking up the lunch box he took defined steps to the door and opened it. Neji took one more look into Sakura's apartment and then closed the door. With a small smirk he locked the door with the silly keychain. As soon as he was out the door of her apartment and walking down the street something weird happened.

"Hey, Neji! See you later, bye!" yelled a pink blur that was Sakura. _**What on earth?**_

Neji watched as Sakura was chased by two blondes. One being Yamanaka Ino and the other being Naruto. Hinata was in close pursuit of her boyfriend but Sai was nowhere to be seen. Ino was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"You can't run forever, forehead! You have to answer my question!! Who gave it to you?!" Ino panted. "I must know!" She was starting to fall behind. Sakura clearly had more stamina than the flower shop owner.

"Sakura-chan! You really have one?" Naruto was catching up but Sakura put more distance between them. _**What's going on?**_

Hinata came to a gasping stop next to Neji and just waved them off. She was tired and it wasn't like she didn't already know who gave the hickey to Sakura. Hinata just wanted Naruto to stop being nosey. She looked up to see the questioning glance of her cousin.

"What is this commotion about?" he asked. The pursuers and the pursued were out of sight now.

"You should know, it's your fault," she sighed as she pointed at him. Neji looked offended. _**My fault? What did I do?**_

Hinata explained how Ino spotted a hickey on Sakura's neck. Neji became rigid at this information. She then went on to say how Ino asked Sakura where it came from. It seemed like Sakura was trying to answer until she turned tail and bolted.

"Sakura-san didn't know what to say…so," Hinata giggled.

"She just ran? Ridiculous…" Neji sneered. _**She couldn't think up an excuse? How hard could it be?**_

Neji thought about when he left the hickey on her neck; he hadn't intended to. He remembered how Sakura had also sucked on his neck, when she had the upper hand. Neji clenched his jaw. _**Do I have…?**_

"You have one too Neji-ni-san," Hinata read his mind. "But you hair is longer than Sakura-san's. Hers was easy to spot."

Neji wasn't sure if he was angry or embarrassed or a little of both. Embarrassed that his cousin was pointing out the mark and angry that it proved the intimacy of his and Sakura's relationship. The last thing he wanted was a family member rubbing it in his face.

"Don't worry, I already told Sakura-san that I'd keep it a secret."

Neji didn't want to say it but knew that he should. He grit his teeth before giving her the eventual thanks. Hinata simply nodded. Ino and Naruto could be seen trudging back. They lost Sakura in the forest. Naruto looked downtrodden and Ino looked pissed.

"I'll find out if I have to stalk her every move…I am a ninja after all," Ino devilishly grinned. Hinata and Naruto both told the blonde girl to leave it be; that Sakura would tell them when she felt like it. Ino simply tch-ed and stomped off.

"I wonder where Sakura-san wandered off to? Oh, well. Goodbye cousin," Hinata bowed politely to Neji and Naruto followed close to his girlfriend. Neji was left there, only yards away from her apartment, and no questions were asked of him. Not that he would answer them. He took a quick glance down the dirt street he'd seen her run down.

"Sakura," he mumbled.

Sakura hid behind the pile of trees she'd created. She panted and gasped. _For being sick with a cold, I'm feeling pretty good. I am little lightheaded now though…_Sakura whistled in relief and just leaned against the wood pile. _That was fun_.

"What was I thinking?!" she whispered. _I can't believe it. I ran away when I couldn't think of a convincing answer. I could have been as vague as possible._ Sakura had to wonder if a simple 'a guy gave it to me' would satisfy her gossiping friend. _No, it definitely wouldn't. _

The sun was beating down on her but because of the nice breeze it wasn't too hot. _This feels nice._ A pair of eyes were watching her not far away but Sakura didn't take notice. The only thing she could feel was the cool wind on her face and a sweat drop dripping down her forehead.

"Do you think this wise?" a voice questioned from the shadows.

Sakura sat up quickly drawing a kunai but put it down when she saw who it was. Neji stepped out from the protection of the trees with a bored expression

"It's good to know that you're on your guard, even in broad daylight," he commented.

She shrugged her shoulders and fell back into her restful position against the logs. Neji walked closer and took his seat next to her inactive form. Cross-legged and eyes closed; he was meditating. At least, that was Sakura's guess.

"How'd you find me?" she asked and then immediately found it to be a stupid question. _Byakugan. Duh._ He didn't acknowledge her with an answer.

It was quiet and the sound of grass rustling and leaves falling consumed an hour's worth of time. Neji assumed that she'd fallen asleep and took that chance to look at Sakura without her staring him down. It was hard to concentrate with her laying there. He had to lean forward a bit but he saw the red bruise he'd left on her neck.

"See something you like?" she asked, her eyes still closed. "Stop staring if you're not going to say anything."

Neji looked away again and continued his meditation. _**She's too distracting**_. With his eyes closed he visualized a tranquil lake without a single ripple. The wind would blow but the water wouldn't waver. When the wind blew a second time pink flower petals invaded the scenery and Neji could smell them. They landed on the lake and Neji felt something on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and glanced over.

Sakura's head had leaned over onto his shoulder. Neji was right this time though; she was indeed asleep. Instead of shrugging her off or waking her, like he intended to do, Neji let her lay there. He relaxed against the log as well. _**It isn't like I can focus anyway.**_

Neji took the pink rabbit key out and looked over it for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He placed it back in his pocket with a grumble and became comfortable.

Sakura inhaled the smell of_…what? What was that smell?_ In her dreamlike state she wasn't sure. It smelled like a person. _But who?_ She recognized the smell after attaching the scent to someone's face. _Dark brown hair…and silvery white eyes. _Sakura sighed and shifted to get more comfy.

While Sakura had made herself more comfortable Neji was suddenly uncomfortable. She was leaning at an angle so that her chest was slightly pressed against his arm. He then made the mistake of looking down and seeing the cleavage her shirt revealed. Neji's discomfort turned into something else. Something familiar.

Neji had been curious about exploring more of her…physical aspects. He stared down her shirt for a few more seconds before wrenching his eyes away. _**I shouldn't act on these feelings right now. It would be like…taking advantage of her and I will not stoop to Uchiha Sasuke's level.**_ He glanced at the rising and lowering of her chest. _**No matter how tempting it is.**_

"Damn," Neji stated as he peeled his eyes from her again. It was going to be long nap because he was content with not waking her. That left him with nothing to do and soon he was just scanning the sky for something to look at. Anything that would keep his attention off of her. He soon found nothing and was beginning to nod off when she woke.

Sakura mumbled a few incoherent words, snapping Neji out of the sleep he was quickly falling into. The pressure on his arm was alleviated when she sat up and rubbed at her eyes.

"Sorry," she said. "I guess I'm still a little weak. And I did run away from Ino and Naruto."

"You couldn't explain the hickey I gave you…" he stated as her reason and then realized the implication. _**It sounds like I'm berating her for not finding an excuse. What did I expect her to do?**_ _**It isn't like it's her fault she has the infernal thing**_. "Sorry about the mark…"

"Oh, it's alright. It doesn't bother me…as much as I thought at first," she admitted. _I was downright pissed when Ino pointed it out. I wanted to punch Neji in the face the next time I saw him but I changed my mind. It's not like it won't ever go away._

"Hn." _**It doesn't bother her?**_

Sakura watched Neji just look into the forest with indifference. _He doesn't really look like he's sorry_. The wind gave a violent burst blowing her hair and consequently Neji's as well. It was then she saw the mark that Sakura had, deliberately, made on his own neck. _Heh heh._

Without thinking Sakura reached out and poked at it.

"Hickey."

Neji grasped her wrist just as soon as she did so to pull it from his neck. Sakura's eyes were wide with shock, not because of the contact but how quick it had been. She barely had time to comprehend the speed. His head was turned to face her with a look of alarm.

_**Why did I seize her hand?**_ Neji rationalized quickly. _**I wasn't used to the contact is all. I was just caught off guard and I do not like being caught off guard. It was a ninja's reaction**_. Neji was still stiffly holding her hand inches away from his neck.

"S-Sorry," she stuttered. Sakura had been scared for a split second there when he faced her. _I'm not sure, but it looked like…he was afraid_. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I wasn't…" he started. _**Was I scared? **_He thought about what happened not long ago in her own home. In her own bed. Sakura had kissed his neck and it caused nervous jitters to dance up and down his spine. Then his collarbone and he moaned in want. In need. _**Maybe I was…Even now, I'm afraid to act on those feelings again.**_

"Neji?" she called to him. He seemed lost in thought until she spoke.

"Hmm?"

"My hand," she hinted.

Neji looked at his hand holding her wrist tight. He remembered holding the same wrist down as he kissed her. As he tasted her; he had wanted to taste every inch of Sakura's mouth. Neji found himself thinking about how he suckled her neck, making that red bruise. _**I wonder what the rest of her tastes like.**_ It was a thought that should have disturbed him but oddly enough it served to make him curious in a bad way.

Before that thought could gather momentum he released her hand. _**I need to keep these thoughts in check. They seem to invade any and every thought I have of her.**_ Neji could still feel the heat from her wrist in his palm.

"Neji, are you alright?" Sakura asked. _I can't help but feel something is wrong. When I watch Neji I can see conflicting emotions stirring. Like he's unsure of what he's thinking. _And now he seemed to be ignoring her.

_God Dammit, he's doing it again! I thought he was done with this 'I can't tell anyone what I'm feeling' thing. When he's like that it seems like no one exists. I could sit on the guy and he still wouldn't see me!_ Sakura blinked at the idea. Not only would it get him to stop ignoring her but maybe…They were in the middle of the woods after all. It's not like someone can burst through a door and interrupt them. And she really liked being alone with him.

Sakura leaned and with her lips right next to his ear she was ready. _Let's see if he can ignore me now._

"Neji," she whispered with a needy sigh and he immediately stiffened. She knew exactly how to get his attention. Anything even resembling moan from her would wake him up, though he didn't know she was taking advantage of it.

That breathy sigh, it nearly destroyed his will. Neji resisted the urge to turn and jump her. Neji had already been remembering their interaction before and he was trying to maintain a resolve to keep himself from doing it again. But Sakura destroyed it as easily as he made it. He was already thinking about kissing her again, let alone touching her. It was like she knew his well hidden desires.

Sakura traced his ear with her lips. She could feel his self-control wavering. _Then let's destroy that wall for his emotions._ Sakura slipped over into his lap, her knees on the grass, but her lips never left his ear. Neji was paralyzed and he could feel the gathering warmth of her body over his.

Sakura nibbled on his ear and she could feel that he was holding back something. Whether it was a moan or a protest she wanted to hear it. She needed him to let go of his emotions again. It had been so good last time.

"Do I have your attention now?" she asked in a sultry voice as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Because she was at his ear he had a good view of her neck. _**How about we give that hickey a partner?**_ Those curious thoughts were rising to the top of his mind again.

"You certainly do," he answered.

Sakura felt the sensation on her neck telling her that she'd been successful. _It's not healthy to hold all the repressed sexual tension in. Let it out Neji. _

Neji found that his hand was beginning to wander to the zipper on her red top. He had this overwhelming desire to open it. He could already imagine touching them and savoring their taste. But before he could pull down the zipper Sakura interrupted him.

"W-wait," she stuttered. Suddenly Sakura was nervous about this. _Do I really want to…_

Neji could gather she was unsure about undressing here, even in the depths of the woods. They had to be a far enough distance from the village. _**I need to respect her boundaries. But…**_He was so curious. He wanted to open that shirt so bad.

"Uh, could we just…" Sakura looked around anxiously. "How about we keep clothing on…for the time being. I'm not too certain about…doing that yet."

Neji nodded in compliance as he drew back his hand from the zipper. _**Another time then.**_ Instead he placed his hands lightly on her waist. There were no objections and Sakura slowly brought her lips close to his. Neji could feel her light breathing on his lips.

A small kiss at first to get things going again. Her hands rubbed against the base of his neck and she deepened the kiss. How long would she be in control before Neji took a hold of the reins? Sakura scooted up onto his lap a little more and knew she was going to regret it later. If things got as intimate as she thought they would…

Neji's tongue ran over her bottom lip; he so badly wanted to taste her mouth again. It was sensation that was hard to describe for him. Neji wanted to possess her lips. Her tongue. Everything. He wanted it all and didn't want anything else.

She got the hint and opened up for his intruding tongue. Instead of getting a moan or sigh from him Sakura uttered one instead, invigorating him. _When? When is he going to-_

Neji was leaning forward and inevitably she was falling backwards on to the soft grass. Sakura held on to his neck tight as they descended to the ground, keeping her tongue busy with is own. He was over her on his knees and her legs were against his own. He used his forearm to brace himself and the other hand slowly traced its way from her waist on a northward journey. Neji was reaching for the zipper again.

"Neji," Sakura breathed when she saw his hand reach for it. "I thought I said-"

"Sakura…" He kissed her pulse making her shudder. "Just a little…"

Sakura could feel herself weakening to his natural ability to unravel her. For someone who wasn't much for human contact he was good at pushing the right buttons for her. _Neji's so…_

He huskily whispered against her sensitive neck. "Please, Sakura."

…_sexy_. Sakura had made her decision.

"A-alright…but if I t-tell you to stop…" she stammered. Neji nodded and then took her lips again. Even though he was excited to unzip it he did so painstakingly slow. He could feel her trembling slightly as the zipper approached her chest and revealed a white feminine bra with a snap in the front. His hand held the contraption as it went lower exposing her belly button.

Neji wasn't sure what to do at this point. Should he touch her breasts? Maybe he could kiss down from her neck and see where that took him. _**Her bosom is larger than I thought it would be…**_

Neji lowered his lips to the base of her neck and placed a warm, wet kiss on her collarbone. Sakura shivered in anticipation. In her heart she knew he would go lower and that thought alone was enough to excite her. She bit her lip in her nervousness.

His lips began to travel south; still leaving very sensual kisses in his wake. He brought the hand he used to unzip her shirt up. It ran against her hip and then grazed her waist. Neji was becoming a little impatient but delighted in the shudders Sakura gave off each time his hand lingered on her flesh. He flicked the snap on her bra and her breasts were revealed just as quickly.

Without much warning Neji licked the space between her breasts and she moaned his name. _He's making me fall apart_. He then simultaneously touched her breast with his free hand and engulfed her other making Sakura whimper in need as her legs tightened against his own. The action sent a very hormonal urge through him that he welcomed. _**Why does this feel so good? So right?**_

"How does it feel, Sakura?" he asked after her panting had calmed down a little. Neji licked the tip of her breasts and suckled it; trying to relish in their flavor. _**She's so…delicious.**_

"Neji," she panted. _How do I describe how good it feels? How do I tell Neji how much you I this feeling? _

"It feels…ah!" she gasped when he nibbled the nub a little harder than she anticipated. "...It f-feels really good. Don't…d-don't stop."

Neji looked into her eyes before speaking. "I don't intend to stop unless you tell me otherwise."

Neji returned to kissing her lips while his hand continued to fondle her breasts tenderly. _Gentle fist suddenly has a new implication altogether_. He lightly pinched Sakura's nipple and she gasped against his lips. _A much better implication_.

Neji's kisses suddenly became more possessive. As if to catch the sighs and moans she let out. He nuzzled and kissed her neck as his hand massaged down her well-defined torso. The feel of her smooth skin never ceased to amaze him.

Sakura could feel the Hyuuga's hand going down her stomach and it was soon approaching the waistband of her pink skirt. While it made her nervous she didn't protest. The last thing she wanted was for this to stop. Neji's fingers brushed the fabric of her clothes.

Suddenly a whizzing sound rang through the air. It was immediately recognized as the sound of metal. _**Shuriken or kunai**_. Instead of dodging Neji covered Sakura. One shuriken lodged itself in Neji's shoulder while the two kunai pinned down the white sleeve of the Hyuuga's robe. Another two shuriken impaled into his leg. Neji winced in pain but just as quickly dismissed it. A look of perpetual worry was on Sakura's delicate face.

"Neji! Are you-"

"I'm fine Sakura. Did anything manage to hit you?" he asked, his silver eyes showing a look of alarm that almost never graced his face. _**It must have been Uchiha. No one else would do such a thing…**_

She shook her head and Neji activated his Byakugan. His eyes constricted and veins could easily be seen on both sides of his eyes. Neji thoroughly searched the area from which the throwing weapons had come from but found no one. _**Maybe he set up a trap that he set off from a different location.**_ Neji looked in other directions but could find nothing. _**He escaped again**_. Neji cursed at the turn of events.

Sakura pulled the kunai from his sleeve, only to notice that there was a message on one. _I'll worry about that later. _

"Neji let me see your back," Sakura requested as she fixed her bra and zipped up her shirt. She didn't see the shuriken that were imbedded in his leg.

"No, I'm fine," he responded as he reached around and pulled the shuriken out. Blood then proceeded to paint his white clothing red. After pulling out the other two shuriken he tossed the stained weapons onto the grass. With every second that passed more of his blood oozed from the wounds. Sakura was beginning to worry. _Normal wounds from a shuriken don't bleed this profusely. _

Sakura picked up a ninja star, careful not to cut herself, and inspected it with squinting eyes. She noted that the blades were coated with something but…_What is it…?_ Sakura's eyes widened in fear. _It could be…_

"Neji we should get you to the hospital…There was poison on it that's preventing your blood from clotting…" Sakura rattled off her medical knowledge. "You're going to bleed to death if we don't get you an antidote…"

Neji wasn't paying attention. He was busy reading the note on the kunai. Neji did not like its contents. _**That bastard…**_Neji scowled. _**Should I comply with the message? **_He looked again at the repercussions of what would happen should he ignore the demands. _**Damn.**_

Sakura called to him but he didn't respond. He was biting his lip in a rare show of nervousness. It looked as though he were reading the note again and again. _What does it say? _Sakura reached out to tug on his sleeve but Neji quickly pulled from her hand.

"Don't touch me!" he said. Sakura jumped at the tone. It didn't seem angry but…his demand gave off a very small note of concern. _What's wrong?_ He put the note in his pocket.

Neji stood and started to trudge towards the village. _**I'll go to the hospital by myself…or maybe Hinata has something for the bleeding. As long as I stay away from Sakura everything should be alright. Won't it?**_ Neji was beginning to doubt the sincerity of the note.

"I won't put her in danger…" Neji whispered to himself. "I'll get you for this…Uchiha Sasuke…"

**Freya: So yeah…Freya here…Any guesses on what was written in the note? Fu fu fu. As if it's not obvious but I'll let you guess anyway. I'm that nice! , Freya has spoken.**

**Anywho, I may not update for a while but only because I have bronchitis and it's hurting me oodles. I'll write some more when my throat isn't a never-ending sea of pain. **

**BTW anyone who wants to know. At Animazement I won first place in the Novice category of the craftsmanship contest. It made me super happy. I won a hundred bucks and kimono top! (My voice was scratchy the whole time too. I must have caught my sickness from someone there…Grumble grumble…) Freya has spoken.**


	10. Chapter 10

Freya:

**Freya: Freya here. I'm sorry I'm so lazy. Actually I'm not, but I'm telling you guys I am so you'll hate me less. Ha ha ha. Anywho, here's another chapter of that good stuff you like.**

**WARNING: This chapter is extremely short. I'm trying to work through some writers block if you couldn't have guessed. Don't whine about how short it is or I may not write more at all. Freya has spoken.**

**Oh yeah, I don't own the characters of Naruto. There, you happy now?**

Chapter 10: Determined

It was raining. The entire day it had been gloomy and gray but the weather wasn't the only thing that had Sakura feeling dejected. She sighed looking outside the hospital window.

'_Don't touch me!"_

Sakura shivered; the hospital was particularly cold today.

"Sakura, are you okay?" asked Chihiro from her bed. Sakura turned from the window and the storm outside to face her patient. She nodded with a smile before returning the clipboard to its place at the end of her bed.

Sakura walked down the halls and to the entrance of the hospital. She retrieved her umbrella from behind the front desk and signed out. The nurses could be heard around the corner gossiping.

"I wonder what's wrong?" whispered her assistant. "She hasn't talked at all today. I'm worried."

"I know what you mean. She hasn't looked like this since those first few months she started working here. You know, right after the last Uchiha left."

"I heard they were friends and he became a missing nin. Poor girl," sighed the assistant.

The medic nin just left while opening her red umbrella. The rain hitting her umbrella sounded like the crunch of gravel. She was feeling cold again and it wasn't just the rain.

'_Don't touch me!"_

"Neji, why?" she asked out loud but no one would hear her. Only the rain, the clouds, and drenched buildings surrounded her.

Neji paced around his room nervously. When he returned from the forest two days ago his cousin had been amazed at the injuries he sported. He told her to fetch something to help his blood clot and nothing else. Hinata did so but not without questions. The bleeding was stopped and but his agitation wasn't.

"Curse you Uchiha," he growled, perhaps for the hundredth time that day. He looked down and read the letter again, also for the hundredth time as well.

_Hyuuga,_

_You seem intent on taking things that don't belong to you. _

_I'll only give you this warning once: Touch Sakura again, even by accident, it'll be the last time; for both of you. If she'll not accept my advances then she'll not accept anyone else's. I'll make sure of that._

_The same will happen to anyone you tell about this note._

_**Damn him.**_ There were so many things that could happen. The condition only said he was not to touch her. Would he be allowed to speak to her? Neji shook his head. _**Even if I could, what would I say? I can't tell her about the note.**_

"Maybe I should give this to the Hokage. No! That doesn't work either!" Neji slammed his fists into the wall, dropping the note. He rested his head against the cool wall and sighed. _**What can I do? **_

_**There's no way to win at this. If I stay away from her he could hurt her but if I go to her it's guaranteed he'll hurt her**_. Neji glared at the floor. _**Not if I fight him, I could protect her, right? How strong is he?**_

"Strong enough to make threats," he mumbled looking down at the infernal note. The thunder resounded loudly overhead and the rain pelted his window_**. Sakura, what should I do?**_

Sakura was going to walk home but changed her route midway. _I'll go talk to him. He can't just ignore me forever._ Sakura could see him retreating from her hand again, telling her not to touch him. It tore at her heart. Her gloomy face turned to that of determination. _I'll pummel him if he doesn't talk to me._

She eventually made it to the door and knocked. It was answered by Hinata with a small smile.

"Oh, good you're here. Maybe you can help Neji-ni-san," she smiled halfheartedly as if unsure that Sakura could really help at all. She invited Sakura in and the pink haired medic closed her umbrella.

Hinata tapped her shoulder and she turned. "Did you and Neji have a fight?"

"Not exactly. Is that what he's saying?" Sakura asked.

"Well, no, but he seems awfully upset. I mean, in his own way. He won't come out of his room and he keeps saying 'what should I do?' He won't let anyone in, but maybe he'll talk to you," Hinata gave a hopeful smile again. _I'm not so sure I can help but I'll try._

They walked down the hall quietly. There weren't many servants about the mansion that day; perhaps because of the rain they couldn't do many errands. Soon they were standing outside his door. Hinata knocked.

"What is it?" Neji asked. Sakura's heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice. The last time she'd heard it he'd said to not touch him. To stay away.

"Neji-ni-san, you have a visitor," Hinata called through the door. "It's Sakura-san."

There was quiet on the other side of the door. Neji looked to the door and took a few steps toward it but stopped. _**I can't. Not until I figure out how to deal with Uchiha. I can't be near you Sakura, it's for your own good.**_

"Tell her to leave. I'm not seeing anyone to-"

She cut him off. "Neji! What's wrong?!" she called to him. Neji almost lost his nerve and went for the door. He wanted to hear her voice again; he wanted to see her face again. His hand made it to the door handle but he halted. _**No, I can't**_.

"Leave. I don't have anything to talk to you about," he grit his teeth as he said it trying to sound angry. He didn't want to say it but he had to. Or else she'd keep coming.

"Why? Why are you acting this way, Neji?!" she yelled, tears were beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. She banged on the door multiple times but Neji stood with his back against it. If she'd really wanted to Sakura could decimate the door to splinters but…_I want him to open it! Let me in Neji!_

"Leave, Haruno," he spoke her last name with ice in his voice. "And don't come near me anymore."

The banging stopped. The tears flowed. _Don't come near him anymore? But I thought…_It was cracking. Sakura believed her heart was made of stone, made of iron but now it was cracking like glass.

He couldn't hear her hitting the door. Neji felt like he was tearing the relationship to pieces. _But Neji wouldn't just stop being around me. It doesn't make sense._ The teardrop dripped onto the wood floor with a plip. Two more plips followed it.

"I don't understand," Sakura whispered. _It has to be Sasuke. That note; it said something awful didn't it?_ The medic ninja was not as stupid as many thought her to be. _Damn him._ Her heart began to harden again. _He's not going to let me help_. "Fine, be that way. I'll show you that I'm stronger than that. Stronger than you."

Sakura turned from the door with her umbrella clutched close getting her shirt wet. Hinata yelled something but Sakura was already out the door. The rain hit her hard but she made no attempt to open her umbrella. Sakura ran; she ran while choking back sobs and tears. She slowed down and eventually stopped. Somewhere she'd dropped her red umbrella but she didn't care. Sakura collapsed to her knees and hit the ground with her fists smacking the puddle reflecting her defeated face.

"I know why he's doing it but it still hurts. Neji, let me help. I'm strong too."

Neji heard the door slam to the front and his cousin calling out to tell Sakura to wait. _**She's gone**_. He swallowed the lump in his throat_**. I pushed away the only person I really care about; who cares about me.**_ Neji was feeling sick to his stomach.

"Cousin, why would you say that?!" Hinata shouted at him, for the first time in her life. It didn't serve to make him feel any better; it only made his stomach lurch. "I thought you liked Sakura-san!"

_**I feel ill.**_ Neji opened the door and ran down the hall. He reached a restroom just in time. Hinata followed him and was surprised to find him getting sick in the toilet. _**How undignified.**_ Hinata knelt down and rubbed his back and for once he didn't push her away. She wasn't disgusted only sympathetic.

"I'm sorry," he said and he promptly lowered his head to the bowl to let more of his lunch go. "I feel terrible cousin."

"After what you just did I'm not surprised. What's wrong, cousin? Did something happen?" she asked with a sad gaze.

"Yes, something happened. But…" he was silent for minutes; his eyes closed in disappointment, mostly in himself. _**I'm so pathetic. So weak.**_

"You can't tell me? You can't even tell Sakura-san?" she asked, helping him up. He appreciated the assistance; he was feeling extremely dizzy. She led him to the sink and he rinsed his mouth. He spit and took the towel she handed to him drying his mouth.

"No, I can't. Not until I take care of another problem," he glared in the mirror. He'd get Uchiha for this. For making him push her away. For the threat to kill him and her. _**Uchiha this isn't over yet.**_

**Freya: So here I am. I told you it would be short. Get over it. I'm trying to come up with more. How shall Neji confront Sasuke? Will Sakura be able to help? Or will Sasuke get his way? I dunno I guess it's up to you…HA! Freya has spoken.**


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